YIAGA tasks security agencies on early signs of violence

YIAGA AFRICA has called on security agencies to be more intentional in addressing early signs of violence, physical attacks, voter inducements and other criminal activities ongoing in the pre-election environment ahead of the Kogi/ Bayelsa gubernatorial election.

It Executive Director , Samson Itodo in a press statement issued in Abuja recently also called on security agencies should engage in active engagement and communications with citizens on the principles regulating security deployment and its operations ahead of the election.

According to him, the gubernatorial elections will be having a large number ofpolitical parties contesting (23 in Kogi and 45 in Bayelsa), this may increase pressure on INEC and more importantly on polling officials on election day.

He said INEC should, therefore, beef up its oversight and monitoring mechanisms that will further strengthen and ensure compliance to the electoral laws and guidelines, while avoiding unnecessary postponements of polls.

He said INEC should come up with a robust mechanism and collaborate with both state and non-state actors to curb the menace of buying and selling of PVCs and other forms of voter inducement.

He recalled recommended that INEC should ensure inclusion, especially of all marginalized groups, there is a need for a more proactive and targeted communication using different channels of communication on the electoral process.

According to him, political party candidates and supporters should ensure they promote unity and peaceful election by refraining from any form of physical or verbal attacks on opponents or their supporters.

He said  political parties should invest in getting out votes and mobilizing voters to turn out peacefully to vote and not delve into undemocratic ways (buying of PVCs and inducing voters) of winning elections.

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