By – Abba Hamisu Sani
Africa-Press – Nigeria. Off-cycle elections conducted in Kogi ,Bayelsa and Imo States on 11th of November 2023 witnessed the high presence of Security Personnel that include Police,Army , Department of state Security Service-DSS Civil Defence Corp, and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission -EFCC operatives.
The gubernatorial elections produced a new governor-elect.in Kogi State and two re-elected governors of Imo and Bayelsa were characterized by heavy violence, Vote buying, and malpractice despite enough security presence.
Available data indicated that Nigeria has the total number of 370,000 Police personnel,meaning that each Police provide security to 600 citizens,out of these number 92,565 officers were deployed for the off- cycle elections ;40,000 to Kogi ,which was termed more susceptible to electoral violence ,27000 to Bayelsa and 25565 to Imo State.
The number of Army Personnels were not disclosed but reports from the three States indicated that there was heavy presence of Army at Polling Units.
Violence and malpractices despite the heavy security
Security reports from different civil society organizations on the off-cycle elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi indicated that election exercises were marred by violence, bloodshed, and illicit cash flow.
In its pre-election analysis, the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI)pointed out that there were at least 110 incidents ranging from murder, political party clashes, destruction of campaign and private properties, kidnapping, and shootings.
Kogi had recorded 53 of such incidents partaking to elections, and we had monitored 35 of such in Imo state, while Bayelsa had 22 verified incidents of election violence,” a report by KDI
In its November 14 report, the group said its election day data Room recorded 50 violence cases across the three States.
The report noted that Imo had the highest number with 19 incidents of violence, while Bayelsa followed closely behind with 17 incidents and Kogi recorded the lowest number of incidents among the three States, with 14 incidents.
“The presence of security across the three States is commendable ” the organisation.However, there is a need for security agencies to investigate and prosecute electoral offenders arrested in the 11 November off-cycle elections” KDI said.
On the other hand, Situation Room, another Nigerian Civil Society Organisation said, its observers noted that security agents deployed for election duty opted to collude with politicians and, in some cases, protected the politicians, enabling them to indulge in vote buying and other conducts that compromised the elections in the states.
Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi Elections Militarised
Dr. Ladan Salihu is the former Director General Federal Radio Corporation (FRCN) and prominent member of People’s Democratic Party -PDP He said that the recent off-cycle elections in Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa States were militarized.
Salihu stated this in an interview with Channels TV recently.
The veteran Journalist said that the security agencies deployed too many military personnel and police officers to polling units, creating an atmosphere of fear.
Dr Ladan said that the resources used to secure off-cycle elections could be better spent addressing the country’s security challenges.
Salihu said the elections were marred by complaints of irregularities suggesting that Nigeria had not learned from the mistakes of the past.
“When you talk about security agencies, the entire process is militarized. You have over security, why do you need soldiers in polling units, why do you need a lot of policemen, SSS even the EFCC in polling units?
From this part of the country at this point in time, I would rather have these hundreds of thousands of security personnel deployed to Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Plateau, Benue and the North East to take care of the security challenges.
If what I saw from the three elections, the number of military personnel, the police that I have seen can, with the same effort, be mobilized and deployed to areas where we have security challenges, we would have overcome these security challenges.
I endorse the idea of having polls secured but the number seems to create a feeling beyond the issue of protecting the ballot boxes and the integrity of the situation”.He said.
The former FRCN Director General said mobilization of security was unprecedented and it has led to some fears that if this kind of attitude should continue, we would be degenerating into something else beyond politics and elections.
The Bauchi politician also expressed disappointment over pre-filled election results, adding that the country had not learned from the past.
“Over the years, we have gravitated from one sort of complaint to another, the problems are all over the place.
Like we have seen the elections in Kogi, there were cases where the election results were pre-filled, if you get to Imo, we also have a lot of irregularities, if you get into Bayelsa, there have been complaints left, right and center.
And these complaints are all over the three states, to sum it all up, it does appear as if we have not even learnt from whatever mistake that might have happened in the past,” he added.
However ,the security challenges faced by the country particularly in states like Zamfara,Sokoto,Kebbi,North East and South East should be treated with all vigor by mobilizing heavy security agents to tackle the menace
The number of police and soldiers ,DSS and Civil Defence Corp mobilized to Kogi,Bayelsa,and Imo States off-circle elections should have been posted to the security challenging States .
The reports of different civil societies such as Situation Room should be taken with seriousness in order to improve in the future elections.
Opinions such as that Dr. Salihu Ladan is something worth digesting by the Federal government to reduce high cost of elections ,as 18 billion Naira was spent on the three States off- circle elections of Kogi,Imo and Bayelsa States,while the Federal government appropriated 5 billion for the Students loan which the National Assembly upgraded it to ten billion Naira.
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