Ahead of the 2023 general election, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, yesterday met with leaders of the country’s political parties to pave the way for a crisis-free poll.
The meeting, which was held at the police force headquarters in Abuja, also brought together personnel from the army and security agencies.
The IGP said the meeting became necessary following a notable trend within the national political space which, if not quickly addressed, could turn into a powerful threat not only to our security. national, but also for the electoral process.
Baba, in his remarks at the meeting which then took place behind closed doors, noted that past experiences have shown that electoral violence, both in the process leading up to an election and in the fall of an election, has always posed the most dangerous threat. to our democracy.
He said the main purpose of the meeting was to engage political party leaders on perceived threats with a view to presenting a united front to address them in the best interests of our national security and democracy.
The IGP, while noting that the violence goes beyond politics, warned that “it is a crime that is well covered by existing criminal laws, both in its planning and execution.
He said: “If political thugs are armed with all kinds of weapons and inspired by a political actor to promote an unlawful act, including attacking innocent citizens for political gain or attacking INEC property and personnel or any other critical infrastructure in the country, these people and those who orchestrate them run the risk of being brought to justice for the specific crime associated with their conduct, regardless of their political affiliation, status or ambitions”.
According to him, “political violence manifests itself in three forms. First, the violence that targets the personnel and property of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as seen recently in Ogun and Osun states.
“The second form of political violence manifests itself in the form of intolerance and inter-party violence which often becomes particularly pronounced during campaigns, elections and post-election phases. It is recorded that no less than 52 cases of politically motivated, intra- and inter-party violence have been recorded in 22 states since the official start of campaigns for the 2023 general election on September 28, 2022.
“The final form of political violence concerns the conduct of certain state governors who display traits of political intolerance that often inflame political tensions. In this regard, we have received reports that some state governors encourage political thugs and subnational security services under their control to disrupt the transparent and legally guaranteed campaign activities of parties or candidates with whom they have opposing political views.
“In doing so, they deploy their powers and influence to either prevent the erection of campaign billboards or to take them down, while depriving political opponents of spaces to campaign or of peaceful political congregations in violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 (As Amended).
He said: “Most violent incidents or threats recorded are often the result of political extremism, misinformation, intolerance, political misdirection, hate speech, incitement and, above all, from the desperation of strategic actors in the political field who often place their parochial political ambitions beyond the interests of national security and the stable democratic order of our nation.These actors usually misdirect their followers, arm them, redirect and encourage them to use threat, violence and other extra-legal means to frustrate competing political parties and impose their own misperception of politicking”.
The IGP said: “Even more disturbing is the fact that just about a month ago, aspirants from all 18 political parties made a strong public commitment to the nation to maintain peace and uphold the rule of law. and electoral law in their political activities, with the signing of the Peace Agreement on September 29, 2022.
“To complement this, Mr. President has openly affirmed, at various global and national platforms, his commitment to deepening our democratic journey by encouraging the virtues of a peaceful electoral process in which the interests and wishes of voters come first. . This, ladies and gentlemen, is the foundation of democracy, and a deviation from this norm can only breed chaos in the national security space and threaten our democratic heritage”.
The police boss said: “The emergency meeting of the Inter-Agency Advisory Committee on Election Security (ICCES) on November 29, 2022, which is to address the issue of violence within the political space, has discussed at length and it was recognized that there was an urgent need for a multi-stakeholder approach to nip the trend in the bud”.
He said: “In pursuance of this resolution, this meeting is therefore convened with the primary objective of engaging the leaders of the political parties on this trend and presenting a common front to confront it in the greater interest of our national security. and our democracy.. In doing so, I must clearly emphasize that violence goes beyond politics; it is a crime that is well covered by existing criminal laws, both in its planning and execution.
“If political thugs are armed with any type of weapon and inspired by a political actor to promote an unlawful act, including attacking innocent citizens for political gain or attacking INEC property and personnel or any other critical infrastructure in the country, these people and those who orchestrate them run the risk of being brought to justice for the specific crime associated with their conduct, regardless of their political affiliation, status or ambitions”.
He said: “It is therefore important that this meeting appreciates two essential things. First, a peaceful order remains paramount to the achievement of the political ambitions and interests of all political actors and their parties. They therefore have a sacred obligation to themselves, their political parties and the nation to shift their mindsets and commit to providing leadership to their followers in a way that will project peace and deter violence, if at all. they are true. democrats.
“Secondly, we must recognize the fact that political violence in any shape, form or manifestation is both an offense under electoral law and a crime under the country’s prevailing criminal laws. Beyond its impact on the political process, it also has a major consequence on our national security. Therefore, the Nigerian Police and all other national security agencies, in fulfillment of their statutory obligations to the nation, remain bound to take coercive actions which will restore order to the political and national security systems” .
He said: “From now on, we will set in motion mechanisms that will most proactively identify, isolate, apprehend and bring in any political actors and foot soldiers they may be motivated to engage in violence at political rallies or of any further political commitment to deserved justice. We have also resolved to put in place strong actions that will deter targeted attacks against INEC assets across the country. More than a stern warning, this is a a clarion call for all of us, both as security agencies and political actors, to speak with one voice in condemning political violence in the name of national security and democratic interests.
“On our side, and as a result of the ICEES meeting, the Nigerian Police, working in conjunction with other security agencies, decided to; improve the collection, sharing and use of intelligence to stem acts of political violence; intensify the deployment of security teams to all INEC assets and facilities nationwide with teams drawn from the Nigerian Police, Army, Department of State Services (DSS), Corps Civil Defense and Security of Nigeria (NSCDC) and the Federal Fire Service.
“Take decisive legal action against purveyors of hate speech, incitement to violence, hooliganism and other violations, including the prompt arrest, investigation and prosecution of offenders in accordance with the provisions of the articles 92 and 93 of the electoral law of 2022 as amended. Those already arrested will face prosecution. Despite all these initiatives, it is recognized that the leadership of each political party is essential to eradicate the threat of political intolerance, threat, violence and other negative tendencies in our democratic culture.
“It is because they are the strategic guardians of our democracy whose conduct or misconduct has a reverberating effect on the actions of their supporters as well as on the national political space. It is for this reason that I wish to appeal to the leadership of all political parties seated here to be determined to demonstrate the good virtues of leadership and publicly disassociate themselves from acts of political robbery and violence, because it is the only way to reassure our fellow citizens. and the international community of our nation’s commitment to peaceful general elections in 2023.
“I also wish to call on the Independent National Electoral Commission to, given its essential regulatory, enforcement and oversight roles as enshrined in the Electoral Act 2022, assert its statutory powers and is stepping up its compliance actions to complement the Nigerian Police and other law enforcement agencies to thwart the threats posed to our democratic order by actors in the political system.
“This requires INEC to take decisive action against candidates and parties who violate electoral law in the areas of conduct of political parties, candidates and other actors in relation to hate speech; campaign finance regulations; encourage, support or incite violence; and depriving political opponents of fundamental electoral rights guaranteed by law.
“On that note, I welcome you all to this meeting and look forward to an outcome that will address, in the most enduring way, the identified negative trends that threaten our democratic process,” he said. .
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