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FINAL EPISODE PRESS RELEASE : Emerging Threats to Peace before, during and after the 2023 General Elections in South-South Region, Nigeria

 FINAL EPISODE PRESS RELEASE

Stakeholders have continued to meet and interact on the Rally for Peaceful Election platform. The interactive sessions focused on Emerging Threats to Peace before, during and after the 2023 General Elections in South-South Region, Nigeria. We had ten (10) weekly episodes from 19th January – 23rd March, 2023. We sincerely appreciate the discussants that were majorly drawn from the South-South States in addition to those outside the region and in diaspora. The 10 episodes held availed participants the opportunity to analyze many issues before and briefly after the elections across the South-South Zone in particular and the Country in general. However, we are quite aware that many post-election issues have arisen, many more may arise and the standpoint still remains that peace is the only way to peace.   

 

In the course of our discussions, we were able to identify some of the threats that emerged during the elections. To mention a few: poor voters’ education in the face of the new Electoral Act, 2022 and inability to locate new polling units; introduction of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) with poor understanding and its eventual sabotage; intimidation of various forms with associated models of vote buying, organized disenfranchisement and results manipulation; sentiments around tribe, ethnicity and it is my/our turn syndrome; Poor logistic arrangement etc. These were the issues for the various forms of violence that were witnessed during the election.

 

We must commend the path of peace tolled by the majority of Nigerians considering their peaceful conduct despite happenings falling short of the promise made by the Independent Electoral National Commission (INEC). The conduct of some of the candidates who openly called on their supporters to embrace peace must be commended while we totally condemn those who either in their closet or openly fueled the amber of crisis. The Youth should by this call know that their political ambition is not inflicting the slightest injury on anyone let alone the ambition of another person.

 

In view of the above, considering that the Electoral Act 2022 was just tested and emanating from the discussions so far, we have the following to recommend:

1.      That the President and National Assembly to immediately review and amend the Electoral Act 2022 to ensure that electronic transmission of results be adopted and remove reliance on manual collation.

2.       That an Electoral Offence Tribunal or Electoral Offence Commission is set up as an independent body to attend to electoral offences and misconduct before, during and after elections.

3.       That with the understanding that majority of the things that affect elections are perfected long before the elections, Non-State Actors/ Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) should adopt a continuous engagement approach in identifying and raising issues that concerns as well as affect peace (and related matters) before, during and after elections;

4.       That Non-State Actors / Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) should hold regular and series of activities beyond virtual to keep the Citizens up-to-date on what they need to know and how to act  before, during and after elections;

5.       That despite Citizens are at liberty to challenge any case in court at any time, INEC has a role to play in reducing the number of cases and the language “if you are not satisfied, go to court” should not be a norm;

6.       That Non-State Actors/ Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) should be made to be beyond observers, but rather be part of the monitoring of the various processes before, during and after elections;

 

For the Conveners of Rally for Peaceful Election:

 

Dr. Bright Oniovokukor        Comr. Jude Obasanmi Phd                     Comr. Ufuoma Akpobi

Convener                                  Co-Convener                                             Co-Convener

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