By Joy Odigie
Elections in Nigeria are characterised by violent conducts that leave many youths physically and mentally brutalised. In extreme cases lives are lost.
In many cases, the courts decide the winner of elections following allegations of irregularities by the losing candidates.
The consequence is the erosion of electorate’s confidence in the electoral process. These have far-reaching implications for those who eventually emerge as leaders.
Many factors are responsible for electoral violence and irregularities among which are greed, winner-takes-all mentality, and ethnic and religious bigotry.
In the build-up to the 2023 general election, Abuja-based Centre for Democracy and Development said it tracked 109 election-related violence between Jan.10 and March 10 that year.
ICEA is a civil society organisation that harmonises and coordinate evidence collection, preservation and advocacy on violence connected with elections.
According to a report by Incident Centre for Election Atrocities (ICEA) 137 persons were killed, and 57 abducted during the 2023 general elections.
Edo, like many other states in the country has had its fair share accusations and counter accusations before, during and after every election.
Speaking during a visit to a family that lost a member during the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections, election, Gov. Godwin Obaseki said urged the people of the state to shun violence.
“It’s sad that this sort of electoral violence still happens at this stage of our development.
“As a government, we would put all measures in place to find out the perpetrators and find out what truly happened and make sure appropriate steps are taken for us to get to justice”, told the bereaved family.
On September 21, the people of Edo will return to the polls to elect their governor for the next four years.
The ill-tempered party primaries and skirmishes that characterised the voter registration have raised a red flag about the upcoming election.
Therefore, a coalition of no fewer than 50 journalists and representatives of Edo State Police Command converged in Benin Media Dialogue and Stakeholders Interface on Credible Edo Governorship Election.
Other participants at the event were Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and online media practitioners gathered in Benin, the Edo capital, for a two-day dialogue.
“It is the public interest that should constitute our guiding principles, and not any other interest, be it partisan, cultural, religious, or political” said Mr Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of International Press Centre (IPC)
He reminded INEC and security agencies that the Nigeria media code of election coverage in the country required institutions to provide conducive environment for journalists to carry out their duties during elections.
Election campaigns highlight what candidates intend to do if they are elected. It is important that candidates explain to the electorate how their tenure would impact positively on their lives.
During electioneering campaigns candidates inundate the electorate with tales of electricity, pipe borne water and access road. However, one key area that has been largely ignored by candidates in Nigeria is climate and environment.
Rev. Nnimmo Bassey, Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation urged the media to ensure that environmental protection becomes a central issue in the election discourse.
“There are issues of gas flaring in areas like Gelegele in Edo, the provision of safe drinking water, illegal mining, and protection of the forests.
“The media should ask the governorship candidates how they intend to tackle these challenges if elected governor,” he said.
Mr Festus Alenkhe, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Edo State Council, appealed to INEC to provide timely election information to journalists to enable balanced reportage.
“INEC should be available to us before, during, and after the election. This will help reduce the spread of fake news and combat misinformation,” he urged.
Journalists are targets of violent acts by party sympathisers during elections.
According to a Committee to Protect Journalists report, no fewer than 28 newsmen were obstructed, attacked or harassed during the 2023 governorship and state houses of assembly elections in 2023.
Alenkhe, therefore, urges a stop to this, as he called on security agencies to provide adequate protection for journalists in the course of covering the Edo election.
Adesuwa Ehimuan, Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, Edo State, highlighted the vital role of the media in ensuring the public receives factual information about the election.
‘`We need to be vigilant in our reporting, fact-checking information, and giving voice to all stakeholders,” she emphasised.
Security agencies say there are committed to protecting journalists and voters on the election day.
“We rolled out an operation order a few months ago. This order specifies the number of police men both within and outside the state who will function in the election.
“We have mapped out the polling units and areas prone to violence and made security arrangements.
“Vote buying remains an offense, and anyone caught will be prosecuted”, Mr Chidi Nwabuzor, Public Relations Officer of police command in Edo said.
Similarly, Mr Efosa Ogbebor, Head of the Public Relations and Media Unit at NSCDC, Edo State Command, warned that any officer involved in election malpractice would be prosecuted.
Toyin Olayiwola, Public Affairs Officer, INEC, Edo, urged journalists to obtain information directly from the commission and not rely on social media, stressing the media’s role in voter education and countering misinformation.
“We have created a platform where journalists and INEC can interact on election issues”, the spokesperson said.
She also said the commission was complying with the rules and regulations for the conduct of elections, saying “collection of the permanent voters card is ongoing across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state”.
Mr Taiwo Obe of Journalism Clinic urged newsmen to always report election from citizenship perspective, stressing the importance of asking the right questions and telling impactful stories.
Obe urged journalists to leverage modern technologies in telling their stories, seek knowledge, and use their professionalism in the social media era to fight misinformation.
The Media Dialogue and Stakeholders’ Interface on the Edo Governorship Election has laid the groundwork for a collaborative effort to ensure a credible and peaceful electoral process.
By bringing together diverse stakeholders, the event has fostered a shared understanding of the challenges and the collective responsibility to uphold the integrity of the election.
As the election approaches, stakeholders are urged to build on this momentum and work tirelessly to deliver a free, fair and transparent outcome that reflects the will of the people. (NANFeatures)