JOHN ALECHENU reviews concerns being raised by stakeholders about the violence and breach of electoral laws which characterised the Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections in 2019 and submits that the 2020 Ondo and Edo governorship polls provide an opportunity for INEC and the police to redeem their images
Ordinary Nigerians, local and foreign observers, appear unanimous in condemning the violence and breaches of provisions of the Electoral Act which characterised the Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections, in 2019.
Despite repeated assurances given by the Independent National Election Commission, the police and other security agencies, the twin evils of violence and vote buying during the off-season elections in both states, reached unprecedented heights.
Of particular concern to most observers was the case of Kogi State. Apart from infractions such as none use of card readers, machines snatching of ballot boxes and voter intimidation, about 30 INEC officials were abducted by agents of desperate politicians bent on having their way.
Coordinated attacks on voters by hoodlums while armed security personnel watched elatedly, was common place. A lot of these incidents were caught on camera. Yet, the security agents refused to arrest them.
Piqued by how the process was managed, the Convener of the Civil Society Situation Room, Mr. Clement Nwankwo, while expressing the views of the over 40 civil society groups which make up the situation room, described the Kogi elections as a great setback to Nigeria’s democracy.
He expressed sadness that rather than abate, the commercialisation of Nigeria’s elections reached what he described as ignoble heights, with the conduct of the said election.
“Political parties and their agents operated openly and with impunity distributing money in purchase of votes and it appeared that there were no efforts to stop them. Sums paid at the polling units ranged from N500 to N6,000.” Nwankwo said, dejectedly.
Speaking in a similar vein, YIAGA Africa, a public policy think-tank, also said violence and malpractices characterised the conduct of the Kogi governorship and senatorial elections.
Chairman of the board of YIAGA Africa, Hussaini Abdu, said the group received a total of “69 incident reports with cases of election infraction, snatching and stuffing of ballot boxes and papers, including reports on voter suppression manifesting in the form of denying voters access to polling units by political thugs.”
Abdu said the challenges in the Kogi elections were largely caused by the failure of security agencies, particularly the police, political parties, the major candidates and the state and non-state accomplices.
“The stakeholders deliberately worked to undermine the election; they appeared to be more concerned about electoral victory than the credibility and legitimacy of the process,” he added.
He also asked INEC to investigate the conduct of the Kogi governorship and senatorial elections. The activist said, “We are deeply worried and concerned about this emerging trend in electoral manipulation and the deepening culture of impunity. Failure to institutionally and decisively act could undermine our democracy.
“With particular reference to the elections in Kogi State, the levels of violence perpetrated by the two major political parties and politicians, evident sometimes in the collusion with security personnel, seriously undermined the elections, deterred voters and made the exercise a farce.”
The spokesperson for the Kogi Peoples Democratic Party Governorship Campaign, Mr Faruk Adejo-Audu, dismissed the victory of the All Progressives Congress in the said election. He described it as “day light robbery.”
Adejo-Audu in his submission, told Saturday PUNCH, in an interview, “The alleged victory of the APC was brute armed robbery achieved through the abuse of the state institutions for coercion particularly the police that flew a helicopter spraying voters with chemicals (and) in some cases shooting and killing people. At least seven deaths were recorded from helicopter attacks.
“In the 239 council wards of the state we calculated that several polling units in at least 184 were violently attacked by thugs led by policemen, real or fake, in uniform.
It was only at Kogi Central, which is the governor’s senatorial district that was spared from massive violence. But menacing thugs stood on guard in the polling units to warn voters against daring to vote for anyone other than Yahaya Bello.”
He also made reference to the kidnapping of several INEC ad-hoc staff who were allegedly forced to do the bidding of the party in power, yet the results from such areas were upheld by INEC.
In response, a member of the APC, Abdullahi Jalo said the PDP has mastered the art of crying wolf each time the outcome of any election does not favour it.
Jalo said, “The APC won in Kogi just as it made history by winning the Bayelsa governorship elections. In Kogi, the people voted overwhelmingly for our party because despite the good performance of the governor, the party sent a powerful delegation which campaigned vigorously while members of the state chapter of the PDP were busy fighting amongst themselves.”
Observations and comments being made by some state major stakeholders ahead of the Edo and Ondo elections, is however raising fresh concerns.
There appears to be little, if any signs, that lessons have been learnt and stakeholders are willing to make the sacrifices required to improve the process.
Political tension in Edo state has reached dizzying heights as suspected thugs set fire to public property and government begins the demolition of property believed to belong to persons whose loyalty it allegedly doubts.
Members of the ruling APC in Ondo State are said to be on the path to reconciliation. Those opposed Governor Rotimi Akerodolu’s second term, have been holding a series of meetings with him with the support of the party’s National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in a bid to find a way forward. Internal democracy is arguably the key to the survival of political parties.
On its part, the election management body, INEC, has continued to maintain that it is prepared to ensure a hitch free election.
It, however, expressed concerns over the desperation being exhibited by other stakeholders – especially politicians, in the electoral process.
Asked whether the commission has learnt lessons from previous elections, Spokesman for the National Chairman of INEC, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, posited that it would be going against the law of natural justice to blame the Prof Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC for all that went wrong during elections held under his watch.
Oyekanmi said, “It is quite interesting that this question comes up each time the INEC wants to conduct an election. But if we look at Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections, the issue was not about our preparation and conduct of the elections, but from the unwarranted disruptions visited upon the process by some political actors.
“Therefore, the media needs to focus on the real culprits when elections are disrupted. INEC does not rig elections or organise violence. Our personnel are trained to master our processes and procedures and ensure that the election we conduct at any point in time is free, fair and credible.
“We have just announced the dates for Edo and Ondo governorship elections. The timetable and schedule of activities have been released. The timelines have been given. On our side, we will implement the activities contained in the timetable.
“We will prepare rigorously as we have always done. Before Kogi and Bayelsa elections, we conducted the Anambra, Osun, Ekiti governorship elections among others and these elections were adjudged as credible. We will go into the Edo and Ondo elections with the same mind set of ensuring that the process is credible.
“However, we can see, already, the drums of war being beaten in one of the states. The media needs to focus on that. INEC also needs the full cooperation of all stakeholders in order to carry out its mandate.”
A public affairs commentator and security expert, Mr Samuel James, while speaking on the issue said, “Much as INEC has a huge role to play by ensuring a level playing field for all players in the field of elections, our security agents and agencies as well as other stakeholders especially politicians must also be ready to play by the game the rules.”
A retired Director of the Department of State Services, Mike Ejiofor, said it would be deceitful for anyone to claim that the INEC and security agencies cannot do better.
Ejiofor said, “Unfortunately, the situation in Edo is getting out of hand. The earlier the major stakeholders especially the security agencies call their people to order, the better for us all.
“At this rate, the Edo election if it must hold is going to be very violent as a result of intra-party crisis. I think the party leaders, security agencies and major stakeholders must intervene now.
“For Ondo, we are still going to have the same kind of challenges of intra-party crisis. In view of what happened in Kogi and Bayelsa if appropriate steps are not taken, the forth coming elections will threaten even the 2023 elections. The Edo and Ondo elections are a litmus test for how prepared the INEC and our security agencies are for the general elections.” Security agencies especially the police, which are the lead agency in the conduct of elections in the country, have a unique opportunity to prove critics wrong.