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Discussion: Emerging Threats To Peace in 2023 General Elections, South-South, Nigeria. State in Focus: Bayelsa

 

EPISODE 3 ON THURSDAY 2ND FEBRUARY, 2023 (10AM - 11AM)

Discussion: Emerging Threats To Peace in 2023 General Elections, South-South, Nigeria.

State in Focus: Bayelsa

 

Introduction: The only way to peace is peace and it is the responsibility of everyone to contribute their quota towards peace. Bayelsa is located in the South-South Region of Nigeria with a larger portion being on water (70%) and the remaining (30%) land; it has eight (8) local government areas. The key actors in the 2023 General Elections were identified as:

 

1.      Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

2.      The Law Enforcement Agents (LEA)

3.      The Political Parties and their Candidates

4.      The Civil Society Actors

5.      The Citizens/Masses/ Intending Voters

6.      The Journalists and other Media Agents.

7.      The Private Business Sector

 

Some threats that were identified included but not limited to the followings:

1.      High cost of transportation has been seen as a threat in Bayelsa considering that it is more of water than land; there are areas that electoral materials would not easily reach which is a potential flash for conflict.

2.      Inadequate information on the electoral process; many people especially those in the hard to reach areas do not have the right information and this include latest development in the Electoral Act, 2022.

3.      Security challenges with plenty of compromise and confusion. There are situations where the Politicians (Paymaster) use Security Agents to do their personal bids even on Election Day. In areas like Nembe, there are some already brewing concern that if not addressed may escalate to something else. Scenario where a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) would be supporting candidates openly; instances where Commissioner of Police who is familiar with the terrain would be changed a few days to the election. These popped a question, who is the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) working for?

4.      PVC Hoarding by politicians is a form of vote buying where the politicians take hold of the PVC of voters in the area; they end up telling the Voter who to vote for. However, with the BVAS there is a growing concern if that will work for them but they are already on the path of preventing those whose cards are with tem from voting. The major concern remains, how did the politicians get the PVCs?

5.      Considering interest of the people being at variance with that of the ruling part, the clash of candidates in Southern Ijaw is imminent if not nipped on the board. It is also worrisome that youths being willing tools in the hand of politicians may be used to do their bids.   

 Recommended Way forward:

1.      The need for INEC to carefully plan out logistics and solidify them early enough to avoid challenges. In the nearest future, electronic voting at your convenience would bring a lasting solution to many issues. 

2.      Adequate voter education should be intensified with collaboration with various stakeholders and use of traditional structures to get the right message to the voters in the hard to reach areas.

3.      The need for INEC to collaborate with the NPF Authority to adequately train the officers that would be part of the election with emphasis on the need for them to demonstrate their neutrality. There should be a unique way of identifying security personnel on election duty.  

4.      INEC need to find a way to create enabling environment to tackle the vote buying especially those already happening before the election; the urgent need to make the voters understand that their genuine participation would reduce vote buying. INEC need to investigate and curb how the politicians got the PVCs? The earlier the politicians in Bayelsa are made understand that the BVAS would not allow them to use the hoarded PVCs for anything hence they should find a way to get them across to owner before the election.  

5.      INEC should collaborate with other actors to step up sensitization the Southern Ijaw, Nembe and flash point in Bayelsa; the need to get the community leaders involved in this is very important.  

 

Conclusion

The need for all the Actors to be involved and effectively collaborate in the activity of disseminating the right information, sensitization and awareness of promoting peace in words and actions. 

 

Participants were drawn from the Six States in the South-South, Politicians, CSO Actors, Security Officers, Election Observers etc

 

For Details:

08052735427 08037184035 08137841633 08026233860

08144596471 08183845003 0703393133

Email: iyoedo@gmail.com

 

THE ONLY WAY TO PEACE IS PEACE

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