Ismail Abdulazeez Mantu Reporting
In anticipation of the September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election, the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) has raised concerns about potential security breaches and alleged police bias.
The South-South Zonal Coordinator of TMG, Amb. Sylvester Okoduwa, during a press briefing in Benin City on Friday, September 13, called on the Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prioritize national interest by ensuring a free, fair, and violence-free election.
Okoduwa expressed concern over the reported arrest of members of a particular political party, describing it as an attempt to intimidate the opposition. He stressed the importance of respecting democratic processes, warning that bias and politically motivated arrests could spark unrest.
“We have decided to address this press conference to draw attention to the issues that seem to heat up the polity as the elections gets closer. One of these issues is the continous uproar from one of the political parties that its leaders and members are being arrested and isolated by the security agencies for reasons that we cannot effectively define.
“The second is the use of thugs by political parties to intimidate opponents. These are issues that forewarn on the outcome of the September 21st, 2024 Gubernatorial Election in Edo State. We inform that the qualitative delivery of the electoral process, ditto, democracy as constituted, is that it enthrones governance in a process that convincingly confirm the ownership of the final outcome of the election by the people. In other words, in a political process which is acculturated on the tenets of genuine and sustainable democracy, the citizenry take responsibility for the leadership they get.
“Where there are infractions that undermine the preponderance of the will of the people as expressed through their electoral mandate, the cannons of genuine and sustainable democracy are either abused or out rightly altered. The final expression of this negation of the electoral process is disharmony and irresolvable conflict which alters the kernel of development socially, economically and politically. If we must achieve a genuine election that conveys the expectation of the citizenry, it starts with respecting and enthroning the cannons which uphold propriety in the operations of the necessary institutions.
Drawing from this, we urge the Nigerian Police and other institutions of security governance as well as INEC to approach the election with dexterity and absolute commitment to national interest. These institutions must be able to uphold truth irrespective of any intimidation or urge to corruptely manipulate.The arrest and intimidation of political opponents must be stopped for better electoral expression in Edo Governorship election, 2024″.
Continuing, he said, “After a careful review and assessment of all the events in Edo State, it is our considered view, that the Nigeria police should make conscious and deliberate efforts to ensure that the good people of Edo State are all carried along by the police in their activities and actions especially as it concerns arresting individuals and indeed, all other security agencies should do same to help inspire and foster peace and security as we count down to September 21st 2024.
“The task to ensure a free, fair, transparent and credible elections is the collective responsibility of all stakeholders in our society and it is a responsibility that is predicated on shared values of democracy and the rule of law, the Nigeria police must be in the forefront for the actualization of our collective quest to a non violent and trouble free electoral process. At this time of national distress, anything that could heat up the polity must be resisted by all stakeholders.
“Those who seek to create confusion and bad blood, just to achieve their personal gains must desist from using the ordinary citizens for their own selfish gains.
“Again, we appeal to all Edo citizens and residents and indeed, all Nigerians from across the political divide, to sheath their sword and follow the path of peace and decorum.Edo State citizens have the capacity and the requisite wisdom to choose a Governor of their choice, this choice must be allowed to be expressed in an atmosphere of peace and orderliness.At the end of the day, elections are held in the overall interest of the people and for the common good of all Nigerians.
“Finally, we note that elections in Nigeria largely witness the use of thug’s pre and during elections. This absurdity, patronised by the politicians, is an infraction that violently distort the expectations of the electoral process. With the preponderance of cultism in our society presently, there are available raw materials for the politicians to employ in fostering command and control during campaigns and on Election Day. All these evolve from the failure of institutions which account for the prevalence of poverty. The menace of poverty makes the young men to compromise their personhood for immediate food on the table. We urge the relevant security agencies to effectively engage the social space by providing the needed attention and sophistication for convincing security delivery”.