By Gabriel Ewepu, Abuja

THE 2023 general elections must have come and gone, but memories still linger, as an international human rights organization, Global Rights, Nigeria, Monday, demanded the Federal Government punish perpetrators of electoral violence to avoid a repeat during the off-circle elections and 2027 general elections.

Executive Director of Global Rights,Abiodun Baiyewu, in an opening remark tasked the Tinubu-led administration to ensure electoral violence perpetrators are brought to book at the presentation of a report tagged ‘In pursuit of Justice: Forensic Insights into Nigeria’s 2023 Election Atrocities’ during a ‘National Dialogue to Demand Accountability for the Documented Atrocities associated with the 2023 Nigeria General Elections’.

Baiyewu explained that Global Rights unveiling the report was to expose documented election atrocities’ cases, therefore it has become imperative to ensure a consensus is built in regards to the demand for accountability and prosecution of perpetrators of electoral violence during the 2023 general elections in Nigeria, and nothing should be swept under the carpet, hence should serve as a deterrent to sponsors and perpetrators of electoral violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to her, ‘In pursuit of Justice: Forensic Insights into Nigeria’s 2023 Election Atrocities’ report was from the Incident Centre for Election Atrocities, ICEA, platform in order to ensure the issues and recommendations are closely looked into and appropriate actions taken to safeguard Nigeria’s electoral process and democracy.

She further stated that the ICEA platform basically aims at ensuring proper monitoring and documentation of electoral atrocities, which Global Rights established along wilth its partners, the Community of Practice against Mass Atrocities in Nigeria ahead of the general elections.

However, she pointed out that the reccurrence of electoral malpractices, and when they persist over time, negatively impact the legitimacy of election results and also diminishes citizens’ confidence in the entire democratic system.

Meanwhile, she said basically, the primary objective of the report is to show the negative factors that constitute obstacles that hindered the 2023 Nigerian general elections; substantiates the credibility of the available evidence; and proposes a practical course of action for the future.

Part of the recommendations of the report to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic system via the electoral process include: Reform Electoral Bodies; Divesting INEC of the Responsibility of Prosecuting Electoral Offences; Legislative Reforms; Public Education Campaigns; and International Partnerships.

She said: “Since the nation’s independence, Nigeria’s election cycles have been very volatile. Apart from brief moments of solidarity among citizens on their desire for credible elections.

“The no-holds-barred contestation have made divisive rhetoric a recurring decimal.

“The weaponinsation of words and imagery to sway emotions and drive violence has increased with each electoral cycle.

“The failure to make their purveyors accountable has engendered a culture of impunitious violence causing an ever-widening erosion in the nation’s social cohesion.”

The Executive Director, We The People and Lead Researcher, Ken Henshaw, in a paper presentation titled, ‘Nigeria is a crime scene: Presentation of Forensic Analysis’, said the non-state actors were the drivers and perpetrators of violence during the 2023 elections, and we’re very audacious to carry out the atrocities, and the report indicated that such had deficiency in governance, referring to 1964-2023, and this had affected development and brought doubt in citizens about democracy.

Henshaw said people who promoted voter suppression, hate speech and ethnic profiling, turned the election to warfare, but are yet to be held accountable and adequately punished, which the report had provided clues for the police to go after those who perpetrated electoral violence before, during and after the 2023 general elections, hence the demand for Government to hold people accountable and not to reward them with appointments.

He added that the implemention of robust systems for the continuous monitoring of the election is very important to restore citizens’ confidence in the electoral process.

He said a combination of advanced technology and dedicated resources should be put into the system in order to help reduce the spate of violence during elections if the government is ready to stop electoral violence.

Meanwhile, the Programme Manager, Global Rights, Nigeria, Edosa Oviawe, on the sidelines said, “Government should not allow perpetrators of electoral violence walk freely while Nigerians start talking about 2027 elections, and we must use this to set a yardstick for election accountability in this nation.”

Edosa also added that the report will be submitted to relevant government agencies including the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Nigerian Police Force, NPF, Department of State Security, DSS, the presidency, and others for necessary action.