Jos-based Youth Initiative Against Violence and Human Rights Abuse (YIAVHA) has inaugurated a seven-man election violence monitoring and mitigation committee to support other actions that would be taken by state and non-state actors towards peaceful and credible elections in Plateau State and Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, the executive director of YIAVHA, Pwakim Jacob, said elections in Nigeria come with mixed feelings, while some experience hope and enthusiasm to yet again have an opportunity to choose their leaders, others experience fear and anxiety courtesy of past history of elections in their communities.
He said some have the scars of the bitter experience of violence preparatory to the 2023 elections, noting that in a report by Long Time Monitor spread across the 17 LGAs of Plateau State shared by their partners Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) , the International Republican Institute (IRI) with Support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), there had been 25 reported cases of violence associated with elections across 19 LGAs.
Pwakim further said three cases of destruction of property, seven cases of election related protests, four each of recruiting and arming thugs across four LGAs, 10 reported cases of restriction on political activities across four LGAs and 13 reported cases of groups barred from using public spaces for campaign while there have been 52 reported cases of vote paying across 15 LGAs.
The executive director also said the elections would be held amidst increasing security challenges and increased digital activism by young people which increases the sensitivity around the elections.
He pointed out that the existence of new electoral legal framework could also be precursor for violence as not too many people are knowledgeable about some provisions of the Electoral Act and the first time election would be transmitted electronically at the national levels as asserted by the election management body.
