To create awareness and advocate for a violence-free 2023 election in Nigeria, West Africa Network for Peacebuilding WANEP-Nigeria in partnership with the Urgent Action Fund Africa (UAF-Africa) has held a peaceful march in Lagos.
Speaking during the exercise, head of programmes at WANEP, Patience Ikpe- Obaulo who led the peaceful march, described elections in Nigeria as a major concern to its citizenry, adding that many are frightened by violent incidences that may occur and their effect on women and children.
The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding, Nigeria (WANEP-Nigeria), she said had noted with deep concern the persistent spate of insecurity and violence in the country with untold consequences on the lives and livelihoods of the citizenry.
According to her, the increasing rate of violence has created instability in the country and disrupted lives of men, women, and youths with a grave impact on the nation’s economic development.
“As Nigeria prepares to hold its seventh consecutive general election since the country returned to democracy in 1999, with the presidential and parliamentary elections held on 25 February 2023, and the gubernatorial and state legislative elections on 11 March 2023 respectively, political violence has continued to bedevil the country.
“Among its most worrisome manifestations are the attacks on facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria’s election management body. These attacks have raised concerns about the safety of electoral officials, as well as the feasibility of holding elections across the country.
“Second, the electoral campaign has further polarised different ethnic groups, with attacks allegedly against political party candidates during campaigns.”
To her, the reoccurring violence Nigerians experience during elections is a dilemma that should not continue.
On behalf of WANEP, Ikpe-Obaulo requested that all political parties, candidates, and their supporters should respect the constitutional right to peaceful and lawful assembly, association, and propagation of political views of all Nigerians in all parts, irrespective of their political parties, ideologies and parts of the country the proponents are perceived to come from.
Also, she called on Nigerians not to disrupt the electioneering activities in any part of the country adding, “this might lead to retaliatory measures which could lead to violence. We can exercise our fundamental rights as citizens of Nigeria in a well-organised and peaceful manner devoid of violence.’’
On the other hand, she acknowledged and commended the efforts of the federal government and Lagos state government as well as its security agents to forestall violence and ensure that there is peace in the upcoming 2023 elections.
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