The United States Institute of
Peace (USIP) on Wednesday released its electoral violence risk assessment in
Nigeria.
The agency suggested possible
escalation of electoral violence before the 2019 general elections.
The outcome of the U.S. agency’s
research findings equally identified Rivers, Kano, Kaduna and Ekiti states,
among others, with high risk of political violence in Nigeria.
The research scope, which covered
between March and April 2018, was conducted in eight states, including Kano,
Kaduna, Ekiti, Adamawa, Plateau, Anambra, Lagos and Rivers states.
A fellow of USIP, Mr. Aly Verjee,
who presented the abridge report of the research findings in Kano, said change
in the narrative of insecurity in the country, farmers/herdsmen dispute,
communal and ethnic crisis presently frustrating the fragile peace, are capable
of preventing smooth conduct of elections in 2019.
Verjee, in a paper titled,
“Nigeria’s 2019 elections: Change, Continuity and the Risk to Peace, Summary of
Key Findings, “said the spade of political instability and internal crisis,
especially in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), could worsen the
enduring democratic system before the elections.
He said the credibility doubt
against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deliver high
expectations when compared to the relative improved performance in 2015 general
elections might spark needless violence by the electorate.
Guardian quoted him as saying:
“The first ever peaceful transition of power in 2015 raised expectations for
the government performance. Many feel their hopes have not been met.
“With this disappointment, we
gathered there may be general voter-apathy, particularly from the stronghold of
the ruling party and high turn-out in the opposition areas.
“The implications for electoral
violence is first, there is possible violence as the ruling party may use
intimidating tactics to shore up the votes while similar intimidation could be
applied to deter large turn-out of electorate in the opposition strongholds.”
Verjee cautioned INEC and
security agencies to strictly adhere to the constitutional responsibilities
devoid of bias, partisanship and undue influence.
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