Ahead of the forthcoming general election, the Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace (IDFP) has called on the federal government to beef up security against armed groups and protect electoral commission offices nationwide as well as the polling units and collation centres.
The co-chairmen of IDFP, Rev Amos Kiri and Dr Yusuf Yakubu who made the call in a press briefing yesterday, tagged: “Nigeria’s 2023 General Elections: Emerging issues and threats to a peaceful transition,” also advised that insecurity should not be used as a tool for voter suppression in some parts of the country.
The interfaith group expressed concern that the elections are set to take place against a backdrop of violent conflicts, armed banditry, terrorism, and heightened insecurity across more than two-thirds of Nigeria’s landscape.
“Similarly, the culture of impunity for abuses by security forces and other actors during the general elections remains a concern. There have also been security threats from multiple groups across the country who have been trying to undermine the elections.
“The credibility of the 2023 general election will depend greatly on the degree to which citizens can vote freely, and securely and that their vote counts. Beyond the tensions that may flare before or during the polls, a further threat could arise from disputes over the results. Nigeria’s gravest election violence in the past, notably in 2011, has been triggered by such disputes.
“Nigeria’s politics is greatly divided across religious, ethnic, regional, and political party lines, the emerging trend of religious leaders, political actors, and groups openly endorsing candidates based on primordial sentiments portends a threat to democratic ideals.
“These actions are further deepening the divide between groups and creating a sense of disillusion among the citizenry. We call on the institutions, groups, and persons that have critical roles to play to ensure that they deliver on their mandate to have peaceful, fair, transparent, and credible elections in Nigeria,” the group said.
The group also raised concern that since the introduction of the new naira notes, Nigerians have suffered untold hardship in their attempts to access the new currencies for their daily needs and businesses.
“The naira redesign may have been intended to help the economy but the ordinary citizens have faced the brutal brunt of this policy.
“The Central Bank should boost its supply of the new naira notes to commercial banks. Anti-corruption agencies should intensify their watch over banks to ensure that they distribute the new notes for public use, rather than hoard them,” the interfaith group said.
