Photo of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room during a press briefing in Osogbo, the Osun state capital,
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has raised concerns over the tense political atmosphere ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, warning that violence, intimidation and political tension could undermine the credibility of the poll.
The civil society coalition, which is observing the election, expressed its concerns during a press briefing in Osogbo, the state capital, on Friday.
Co-Convener of the Situation Room, MMA Odi, said the organisation had been monitoring reports of politically motivated clashes involving political actors and their supporters, attacks and intimidation, tensions around motor parks and transport unions, alleged political thuggery, deaths and arrests of political actors, as well as increasingly inflammatory rhetoric from political parties and their supporters.
The Situation Room said the development was particularly concerning given that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had identified 385 election flashpoints across 13 local government areas in the state as areas at high risk of violence.
The organisation also raised concerns over the late arrival of sensitive electoral materials, which it said reached the state at about 8:30pm on Thursday, August 13, following the reprinting of ballot papers to accommodate the Social Democratic Party candidate.
It stressed the need for adequate security for election personnel, materials and facilities, citing the reported attack on the INEC distribution centre in Odo-Otin Local Government Area, where Permanent Voter Cards and Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices were reportedly stolen.
Call for Responsible Security Operations
On security arrangements, the Situation Room acknowledged the deployment of a large number of military personnel for the election but urged all security agencies to conduct their operations responsibly and strictly within the provisions of the law.
The organisation also called on the police to properly document incidents of violence, electoral violations and vote-buying, identify those responsible and provide relevant information to INEC.
It further urged political parties and their supporters to avoid actions capable of undermining the electoral process.
The Situation Room cited allegations of political violence and rivalry involving the Accord Party and the All Progressives Congress as developments requiring attention.
It called on all political parties, candidates and their supporters to support the conduct of a free, fair, peaceful and credible election.
The organisation also appealed to the people of Osun State not to allow politicians, thugs or purveyors of disinformation to deprive them of their democratic rights.
“The Situation Room will continue to monitor the security and electoral environment in Osun State and will document and report incidents that threaten the credibility, peacefulness and integrity of the electoral process,” Odi said.
