Less than one month to the long awaiting governorship election in Kogi state, some stakeholders, electorates and non government organisations are raising salient issues that would galvanise peace before and during the election. OYIBO SALIHU takes a look at these and more.
Kogi state in the past was known for political violence especially in the eastern and central senatorial districts where wanton property worth several millions were destroyed, aside numerous innocent lives that were lost through maiming and killings.
This political violence in the state can be traced to continuous imposition of candidates on the electorates which hinder them from electing their leaders through the ballot papers.
Although the trend reduced minimally in recent times, there are yet some areas where there are crises during the last presidential, state and National Assembly elections.
Places like Lokoja, Ajaokuta, Ayingba, Ejule, Idah to mention but few are flash points that pose concern as the governorship election draws nearer.
Efforts of the police
Expectedly, the state government and other security agencies have pledged to be on top of security situation for the November 16 gubernatorial election which they said would be conducted under a peaceful atmosphere.
The security operatives however pledged their determination to secure life and property before, during and after election.
To that effect, the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, assured that not fewer than 25, 000 police personnel would be deployed to provide adequate security for the electorates, INEC staff, election observers and indeed other stakeholders whose contribution would be needed for the smooth conduct of the election.
Adamu, who disclosed this during a stakeholders meeting with the chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lokoja last week, said the force has no option than to provide a level playing ground for all the participating political parties in the election.
The police chief who was represented at the stakeholders meeting by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of operation, Abdulmalik Ali, lamented that intelligent gathering revealed that some politicians in the state were recruiting, training and arming individuals to cause mayhem during the election.
He however assured that the police would deal decisively with whoever is caught indulging in such crime.
According to him, “We would deal with any body who tries in any way to impede the integrity of the governorship election in Kogi state.”
He warned that such information should be at the imagination of whoever is planing to do otherwise during the election, stressing that the police is ready to ensure the election is conducted under a very peaceful atmosphere.
For the provision of adequate security during the election, the IGP said the people should obey the rules and regulation of INEC concerning elections, warning that the police would not look at any face in the course of discharging their duties during the election.
He however advised parents and guardians to warn their children against unruly behaviour during election, saying ballot box snatching and other electoral offences would not be handled with kid gloves.
Bello assures of peace
Expectedly, the governor and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Yahaya Bello, at the meeting, said he would make sure that life and property are protected in line with the constitution.
He said violence in the state as reported in some sections of media is not the truth about the happenings in the state. He added that his second term ambition is not worth the life of any single Kogi person, as such he would guarantee a peaceful conduct of the election.
“My ambition for second term in office would not be by violence. I don’t want any body to die because I want to continue as governor. I can assure you that the way and manner we conducted the APC primary without a single injury let alone death would also be same during the election.
“The incident of violence you heard during the last election was not perpetuated by APC because we don’t believe in violence and so my supporters and my party, APC, would never be part of any political violence.
“Whoever involves in any political violence, such person would not be protected but rather would be made to face the wrath if the law accordingly,” he warned.
Wada’s charge
Also speaking, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Engr Musa Wada assured INEC of his support and that of his party towards election devoid of violence. He advised that the security agencies should conduct stop-and-search operation and as well adhere to no- movement policy during the election.
NGOs too
Irked by political violence in some parts of the state, a non governmental organisation, ‘Challenged Parenthood Initiative’ (CPI) based in the state has called on security agencies and community leaders to ensure the security of women and their safety in exercising their franchise during the election.
This was contained in a communique signed and issued by the executive director of CPI , Eunice Agbogun, at the end of a one-day Dialogue Session of the NGO with security agencies, community leaders and political parties in Lokoja organised in partnership with the National Democratic Institute (NDI).
The NGO said it was important that all relevant stakeholders in the electoral process gets involved before and during the campaign to nip in the bud issues of violence against women in politics most especially as the off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi approaches.
Agbogun said the approaching off-cycle governorship election had charged the political atmosphere in the state, adding that the need to put mechanisms in place to protect women in politics has become eminent.
The communique said that there is a need for effective collaboration between security agencies and citizens in the area of prompt, adequate and correct information for quick response.
It also urged security agencies to revisit their election day security strategies taking into consideration the needs of women voters with special attention to the Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWD) and other vulnerable groups on the election day.
Also worried, the executive director, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, Comrade Idris Miliki Abdul, called for early warning risk assessment and response to be developed for flashpoints or trigger zones in the area of violence.
The activist urged security agencies to be proactive and address early warning signals taking strategic steps in making adequate provisions to curtail it’s possible outbreak before, during and after the election.
The 2Face peace concert
A popular Nigerian artiste, Innocent Idibia (2Baba) in his contribution to peaceful conduct of elections in the state, charged youths to be peaceful, civil and shun violence in the forthcoming governorship election.
Idibia made the call at a Peace Concert on ‘Vote Not Fight, Election No Be War”, organised by participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development (PIBCID) in collaboration with National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Lokoja recently.
The concert which drew over 5,000 youths drawn from the 21 local government areas and various tertiary institutions in the state was supported by UKaid, USAID and 2Baba Foundation.
The popular musician asserted that the process of election should be peaceful and civilised, stressing that his organisation, 2baba Foundation, had mobilised over 62 million people in the country to drive the campaign for peace.
Idibia, urged security agencies and the electoral umpire, INEC, to be neutral in the discharge of their duties.
We will be unbiased – INEC
However on the side of the INEC, its chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, while addressing the stakeholders at the meeting said the commission was determined to conduct a free, fair, credible and conclusive election.
“The two major elections would be conducted on November 16 that is in Kogi and Bayesa states simultaneously. They constitute a major election for the commission, Nigeria and everybody, the first after general election and people are interested in this election; they would want to know what is going on.”
Yakubu who explained that the meeting with the stakeholders was convened to show that INEC was ready for the election, gave a stern warning against violence and hate speech before and during election.
He however appealed to security agents that would provide security during the governorship election not to be partisan, urging them to display high level of neutrality.
