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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has said electoral violence undermined the performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the general election.
It said voter suppression and intimidation, destruction or theft of election materials predominantly by political party agents and politically aligned thugs were recorded across the six geopolitical zones.
It said their data showed violence occurred in 10.8 per cent of all polling units, which led to the reduction of voters’ apathy to cast their ballots.
Chairman of CDD Election Analysis Centre (EAC), Adele Jinadu, and its Director, Idayat Hassan, stated this at a press briefing, yesterday, in Abuja.
“The improved conduct of the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections by the INEC has been undermined by the combination of violence, votes-buying, online and offline intimidation of voters, disinformation and decreased citizens trust in INEC. 10.8 per cent of observed polling units recorded violence and/or fighting, and this was most pronounced in the North West (19.9 per cent) and South South (11.6 per cent ) with Bayelsa and Zamfara, the two states with the most incidents recorded by our observers.
“In the first six hours of polls being open on March 18, CDD’s war room team came across a flurry of voters’ intimidation videos, particularly from Lagos State where it was ensconced in rhetoric about belonging and ethnic identity, an illustration of the ways that voters’ intimidation took place both online, as well as offline,”Jinadu said.
On the specific actors responsible for the violence, which affected the elections, Hassan listed them as non-state actors, political thugs and political party agents.
She said the objective of the groups was to disrupt election processes with violence.
“Victims of this violence were first and foremost voters, some of whom were denied the right to exercise their franchise as a result of polling units cancelling results or having their ballot boxes snatched. Even though some efforts were made, where possible, to hold polls the following day for example.
“But there were also attacks directed at, or threats made toward, ad-hoc INEC staff with one shot in Cross River and more than 10 kidnapped after voting in Imo State; journalists reporting on the election in Lagos, Rivers and Ogun, domestic election observers and other party agents were also attacks. Violence also targeted at BVAS to disrupt the process and ensure the cancellation of results, with notable incidents taking place in Warri South West council, Delta and Ezza North council, Ebonyi State,” she said.
