Towards achieving a free and fair elections during the 2019 general elections and beyond, the Joint Action Civil Society Coalition has established Violent Incidents & Election Atrocity Fusion Centre (VIEAFUC), which will monitor, systematise, document and report data, information and analysis of events and factors that can initiate violence during elections.
The VIEAFUC initiative is expected to facilitate the objective of forestalling violence in some states in the nation. Also to achieve the set objective, the group believes all the stakeholders involved in the electoral process should be allowed to perform their duties independently.
Not less than 19 states have been highlighted as places with very high potential of experiencing electoral violence.The states, according to Join Action Civil Society Coalition are Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers, Abia, Imo, Bayelsa, Oyo, Osun and Ondo states.
Others are Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Benue, Kogi, Nassarawa, Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, and Zamfara states.
The group stated that since the inception of its #StopTheKillings monitor in May 2018, it is yet to record a week with no killing across Nigeria.
It heaped a large chunk of the blame on the security institution for their negligence towards ensuring the perpetrators are arrested and prosecuted asserting that the continued killing would greatly affect the outcome of 2019 elections in the country.
“Indicative of the fact that not only have the killings continued to rise almost unabated, our security institutions have failed time and again to ensure that their perpetrators are identified, dutifully apprehended and brought to justice.
“The resulting guarantees of impunity afforded to these merchants of violence fuels a spiral in deadly violence, which, from all indications, will impact the 2019 general elections except immediate action is taken to stem this tide.”
The group also blamed the government for its lack of proactive actions in totally stopping killings adding that there cannot be a peaceful election in Nigeria if perpetrators and sponsors of violence in Nigeria are not recognised and made to face the law.
“We continue to reiterate the ineffectiveness of the Nigerian government and the security forces in checkmating these swats of cyclical violence has emboldened the actors, and continues to provide a leeway for the culture of impunity to thrive. One sure guarantor of peaceful elections is ensuring that both the perpetrators and sponsors of violence in Nigeria are accounted for and punished.”
Quoting figures from the Nigeria Watch, Join Action Civil Society Coalition noted that “between June 2006 and May 2014, there were about 915 cases of election violence resulting in about 3934 deaths: the North Central recorded about 1463 deaths; 911 deaths in the North-West; 644 deaths in the South-South, and; 319 and 386 deaths in the North-East and South-West respectively.”
Stating that the problem with Nigeria’s elections have historically been with the collation and counting, not the voting the coalition insist that INEC, security agencies, the candidates, their parties and Nigeria’s citizens and partners must put this right.
The group proposed that for 2019 elections to be peaceful, all stakeholders must exercise their constitutional duties without interference.
It added that the Independent National Electoral Commission must truly be independent while the security agencies provide a safe environment as well as act impartial.
“We reiterate the importance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as it fulfils its constitutional role. INEC must be allowed to operate free from external pressure or intimidation.
“It is crucial that security agencies act, and are seen to act, in an impartial manner by maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and allegiance to the Nigerian State and not political parties.
The Join Action Civil Society also called for press freedom ahead of the election while stating that it will assist in identifying peddlers of fake news and demanding for stiffest sanctions against them.
While pushing against the harrasment of civil society and human rights, the group hopes to see improved participation of women, youth and people living with disabilities in the election.
“We note with concern the recent harassment of some civil society actors who have sought to be vocal about the need for a peaceful and credible election. For example, our colleague, Mr. Deji Adeyanju was arrested yesterday for participating in a peaceful demonstration.
“And should their candidates lose, to accept it in good faith.”
