NGO Warns Against Election Violence

Jibrin Ibrahim, the Executive Director of Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) Abuja, has urged stakeholders in the electoral process to take measures against election related violence.

Ibrahim made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at a one-day forum on “the role of civil society organisations, the media and the police in preventing and mitigating election related conflict”.

The forum was organised by the Democratic Governance for Development (DGD), in collaboration with the INEC.

“If the level of violence spreads from intra parties and inter elite’s squabbles within the political class to large members of communities, the risk it presents is very high.

“It is important that in our communities, the demand people make from the political class should be based on what politicians are going to do for the public good, rather than ethnic issues.”

He said the monetary inducement provided by the political class to members of the communities would not solve the election related violence.

Ibrahim urged the stakeholders to enlighten the people on the danger of violence, as the general elections drew near.

He said it was necessary to send a message to the people that “we know what the political class want to do to us, we cannot take risk of engaging in violence and get people killed”.

Mrs. Dudu Manuga, the Director of Association for Responsible Citizenship, an NGO, said the effect of electoral violence was more psychological than physical, especially on women.

“Electoral violence is not all about burning and beating, there is a psychological aspect of it that has to do with intimidation and threat.

“The physical attack is not as much as the psychological attack against women and the whole aim is to keep us away from active participation in electoral process.”