Barely twenty-four hours to Saturday’s gubernatorial elections in Kogi and Bayesla States, Nigerians and other stakeholders have tasked the security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on credible and violence-free exercise.
Local and international groups have equally called for peaceful elections in both states. The United States, for instance, has threatened to work with stakeholders to identify and sanction politicians who perpetrate electoral fraud or undermine the credibility of the polls.
Recent elections in Nigeria have been violence-ridden. A final report on the 2019 general elections by the European Union Election Observation Mission had said that the elections were marred by violence and intimidation with the role of security agencies becoming more contentious.
Several political parties are fielding candidates in tomorrow’s gubernatorial election in both states. The contest is, however, expected to be a straight fight between the candidates of the People’s Democratic Party and those of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In Bayelsa, the incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson, has served out his constitutional two terms in office and would not be seeking re-election. However, his Kogi State counterpart, Yahaya Bello, is standing in for re-election after serving his first tenure.
Bello would be challenged in the election by Musa Wada, who is the candidate of the PDP. In the last few days of campaigns, tension has been high in both states, while violent confrontations among supporters of the two leading parties have led to some deaths.
Stakeholders have expressed fears that the large-scale violence noticed during the campaigns across the two states may affect voter turnout and cast doubt on the credibility of the elections.
“For me, it is a misplaced expectation if you expect INEC to guarantee peaceful election tomorrow. INEC can’t do anything when you talk about security during elections. But they have to work and guarantee peace tomorrow,”
Yinka Odumakin publicity secretary of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, said.
“Right now, the security agencies are not doing their job; they are still being controlled by the executives. It is left for the security agencies to provide a level playing field for all the candidates in tomorrow’s elections,” Odumakin further said.
According to him, “Our elections have become more violence-prone; it is mafia-styled and that is because the Federal Government is in charge of the security agencies; nothing would change if this continues. But I don’t expect much from either INEC or the security agencies; the heads of the security agencies are compromised.”
Urging the security agencies to be alive to their responsibility, a group called the League of Women Voters of Nigeria said that all the candidates must be protected and treated with respect.
Making allusion to the alleged harassment and intimidation of Natasha Akpoti, Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate in the Kogi State governorship election, by political thugs, the group said: “We believe that she is being harassed on the grounds of her gender and the fear that she may draw sympathy from female voters and change the equation of things in the state if she is on the ballot.
“We are concerned for her safety and security in the elections and we call on the Federal Government and all the Security Agencies to ensure her safety and Security throughout the process.”
An indigene of Bayelsa, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, alleged that the problem of elections in the state has always been the over-militarisation of the space.
“Some of us have our voter cards ready, but we may not step out to vote. We don’t want to be killed for the sake of election. The way I am seeing things already, it seems this will be one of the worst elections since 1999. INEC, the police and soldiers must be fair to all parties; that is my candid advice,” the indigene said.
But a politician and political analyst, Wale Oshun, blamed the increasing violence in recent elections in the country on the increasing emphasis on huge money. The juicy nature of elections in the country has brought in lots of bad blood. He called for electoral reforms to check the ugly trend.
“The security agencies have an obligation to maintain peace and INEC must rise up and conduct free and fair elections. Election materials should go to the polling units on time, which is what Nigerians are asking for,” Oshun said.
“The current way our elections have gone is because of the kind of political system we have. Everybody see politics as a vocation, it should not be so. It should just be few people in it and the rest people should be in their various professions. But the situation is like this because politics has the highest benefit in the country; look at how much they are paying lawmakers,” he said.
“They should be on civil servant salary scale; none of them should earn more than a permanent secretary,” he further said.
Tunji Shelle, a former chairman of the PDP in Lagos State, said Nigerians were watching INEC and the security agencies keenly, while charging them to collaborate and conduct free and fair elections.
Shelle, however, expressed fears on the alleged activities of INEC in the build-up to the gubernatorial elections, urging the electoral body to maintain their neutrality.
“INEC knows that they should be independent but it appears that they have been compromised in this election. I have not heard about their role in Bayelsa but in Kogi State we have been hearing that they are ready to even write the election result for the other party.
“INEC should be careful. Result at the poling units should be sacrosanct, but what often happens is that during the process of moving the result, a lot happens. The parties should be vigilant; the security agencies should not allow touts to take over the place like we have been hearing,” Shelle said.
INIOBONG IWOK (Lagos), SAMUEL ESE (Yenagoa) & VICTORIA NNAKAIKE (Lokoja)
