Stakeholders harp on voters’ safety during elections

Stakeholders, cutting across political parties, journalists, lawyers, academics and public affairs analysts, have lamented the spate of insecurity in Nigeria, especially the killing of innocent Nigerians during elections in states across the federation.

They aired their views Wednesday in Abuja during a one-day stakeholders’ summit on democracy in Nigeria, organised by the National Rescue Movement (NRM) and had in attendance the National Chairman of NRM, Senator Saidu Muhammed Dansadau, national chairman African Action Congress (AAC), who doubles as national chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Dr Leonard Nzenwa, FCT Council Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche, former Attorney General of Ekiti state, Dayo Akinlaja, Engr Buba Galadima, gender advocate, Dr Hauwa Evelyn Shekarau, among others.

Addressing participants at the event, with the theme “Elections: Participation and safety in the face of growing insecurity,” the National Chairman of NRM, Senator Saidu Muhammed Dansadau, said members of political parties, security agencies, civil servants and concerned Nigerians should be part of the party’s objective in ensuring that votes count in Nigeria.

He said: “Many doubting Thomases, in their interests, say that they will be no election in 2023. Voters revolution, as being promoted by NRM, we believe, is critical in surviving democracy in Nigeria and promoting legitimate government.

“We want members of all political parties, security agencies, civil servants and concerned Nigerians to be part of this movement. The aim and objective of the movement is to ensure that votes count in Nigeria. Even when some dubious people find their ways into political offices, we hope that the judiciary will do the right thing by restoring legitimate mandates.

“People are not surprised when government makes certain policies, but which become problematic when it comes to implementation. This is as a result of their getting illegitimate votes. When you are the right person for a political office, you will put good things in place and God will also bless you.”

Also speaking, the national chairman of IPAC, Dr Leonard Nzenwa, said that security agencies have a role to play when it comes to voters’ education and protection of voters during elections.

“The task is to ensure that elections are free, fair and safe for Nigerians to participate in. Presently, Nigeria is ranked 5th unsafe country in the world to carry out business in, due to kidnapping, ballot box snatching, other forms of insecurity. Insecurity is also the cause of voter apathy as evident in statistics of elections over the years”, he said.