Twenty-three days to the November 16 gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States, the Nigeria Police have identified the imposition of candidates and flagrant disregard to electoral laws, as some of the main reasons for election violence in the country.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Nigerian Police, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone Five, Dibal Yakadi, also identified unemployment and illiteracy as some other factors fueling electoral violence.
The stakeholders’ meeting that involved traditional rulers, party leaders, the civil societies, candidates of political parties and community leaders, was held at the Police officers Mess in Yenagoa.
The AIG said everyone has a role to play in order to archive a violence-free, fair and credible election, adding: “The increasing prevalence of electoral violence in our society today is a cause for security concern. Crime and violence in Nigeria today undermine the social fabric of our societal value by eroding the sense of safety and security
“It is always a tradition for the Nigerian police at the commands and zonal level to call stakeholders for such an important meeting during election especially now that election is gathering momentum in Bayelsa and Kogi states
“It is estimated that $3billion dollars worth of small arms and light weapons are transported illegally across national borders every year with figures increasing in geometric proportion.
“Availability of arms and light weapons has contributed to youth involvement in crime and election violence. Other factors includes easy access and consumption of illicit drugs, illiteracy and lack of access to education, lack of manpower and logistics support for law enforcement agencies,” he added.
The AIG also decried the imposition of candidates by political parties against people’s wish, flagrant disregard to free and fair election by politicians and other stakeholders, maintaining that inadequate voter-education, corruption, lack of internal democracy among critical parties inhibit free and fair elections.
“The fear of losing power in the face of uncertainty and abuse of electoral laws such as rigging, votes buying, multi registration,” he said, disposes political actors to violence.
While urging INEC to make sure that the forthcoming elections meet and satisfy international best practices, the Police boss said they can achieve that by partnering security agencies as well as educating both voters and the political parties to guarantee credible election.
Earlier, the Chairman Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, King Alfred Diets Spiff, pleaded with those that might lose the election, to accept the outcome in good faith and not to engage in actions that could lead to loss of lives and property.