By Marie-Therese Nanlong 

Jos – Former Presidential candidate of the Kowa Party in the 2015 election, Professor Remi Sonaiya has urged Nigerians to redefine Nigeria politically by giving themselves the gift of peace during and after the 2023 elections.

She stated Nigeria has enough problems and more problems should not be added during and after the elections so that the country is not pushed over the brink.

This is the Youth Initiative Against Violence and Human Rights Abuse, YIAVHA has inaugurated a seven-man Peace and Mediation working committee, and a media engagement around the 2023 elections in Plateau State.

Sonaiya spoke in Jos, during a sensitization programme on the need for peaceful elections for candidates of political parties and other stakeholders tagged: “Ku zabi zaman lafiya (vote for peace)” organized by the Community Initiatives to Promote Peace, CIPP; Savannah Centre for Diplomacy and Development, SCDDD and Mercy Corps with the support of USAID.    

Speaking on redefining Nigeria’s political ecosystem vs the need for peaceful and non-violent general elections she said, “There are reasons to redefine Nigeria politically, Nigeria is no longer at ease with itself; there are feelings of marginalization, accusations of nepotism, favoritism by leaders. Something is wrong with the way we are being governed, there is an ‘uncaring’ government alienated from the people’s plight.

“The current structure is not working for all but we need non-violent elections. Why? Enough is enough, we need to give ourselves the gift of peace; don’t push our nation over the brink. How much can a person take? Fuel shortage, skyrocketing prices of goods, shortage of cash; we have enough trouble don’t add more during the elections.

“Yes, it is time for a better Nigeria, we deserve more than this, we can build the Nigeria of our dream, we don’t need to run away, and exercise our civic duty safely. Say no to corrupt politicians…, incendiary speech, and fear. Take back Nigeria and arrest the slide into anarchy, let’s build the kind of Nigeria we want to live in; peacefully prepare for the elections. Let’s get this right now…”

Also, a former Director, of Legal Services of INEC, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi who gave an overview of the 2022 electoral act with key reference to electoral violence as contained in sections 119 to 238 of the electoral act stressed, “We don’t want problems in Nigeria, don’t give room to violence so it doesn’t lead to a constitutional crisis.”

He noted that to address violence during elections, all should “make a firm commitment to peaceful elections, combat desperation of politicians and their supporters, recruit competent and non-partisan poll officials with integrity, ensure professionalism and non-partisanship of security agents and address root causes and triggers of violence as well as the prompt apprehension and effective and swift prosecution of offenders and their sponsors.”

Earlier, the Executive Director of SCDDD, Amb. Sani Bala reminded the politicians that if they are interested in governing the people, they would not destroy them by engendering violence but would galvanize resources to promote their well-being saying “We can avoid violence and have a free and fair election if we make up our minds to promote peace…”

YIAVHA’s event was held under the election violence monitoring and mitigation project in partnership with the Kimpact Development Initiative, and the International Republican Institute with support from the National Endowment for Democracy.

The Executive Director of YIAVHA, Jacob Pwakim said the committee members have “the dual function of being a strategic structure that designs actions to be taken given the available statistics about emerging issues and as a rapid response team that reaches out to those in a position to take action where the peace and credibility of the election process are threatened.”

He said among other things, “every election presents stakeholders and citizens with key learnings owing to the experiences that each election presents… We have come to inaugurate these men and women to support actions to be taken by both state and non-state actors toward peaceful and credible elections in Plateau State and Nigeria by extension.

“Elections in Nigeria come with mixed feelings while some experience hope and enthusiasm, others experience fear and anxiety due to the history of elections in their communities or the scars of the bitter experience of violence.

“A January 2023 Plateau State report supplied by the Long Time Monitors spread across the 17 LGAs, there have been 25 reported cases of physical violence associated with elections across 10 LGAs, three cases of destruction of property, seven cases of election-related protests, four cases each of recruiting and arming thugs reflected in one LGA, 10 reported cases of restriction on political activities across four LGAs, 13 reported cases of groups barred from using public spaces for campaigns and 52 reported cases of vote buying across 15 LGAs.”

Members of the committee included the Emir of Kanam, Alhaji Muhammadu Muhammadu II (represented by the Zanan Kanam, Alhaji Lawatla Tanko), Benedicta Daber, Dr. Dinshak Luka, Sheik Khalifa Mushaddidu, Tabitha Pam-Horo, Mr. Paul Jatau of the NUJ and a representative of the State Security Service.