- Says 52 cases recorded in 22 states since September 28
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Alkali Usman Baba has blamed some State governors for the rising wave of political violence and tension being witnessed across the country.
Though he stopped short of mentioning the governors’ names, the IGP alleged that these states’ chief executives have regrettably been fueling violence since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lifted the ban on political campaigns.
IGP Usman, who addressed a closed-door crucial meeting with the leadership of the 18 registered political parties in Abuja, said the engagement between the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and strategic leaders across national security and intelligence agencies and the parties’ leaders became necessary in order to arrest the manifestation of political violence in the last few days across the country.
The top Cop said at the meeting held inside the Louis Edet House Force Headquarters in Abuja that already 52 cases of such politically motivated, as well as intra and inter-party violence have been recorded across twenty-two (22) states since campaigns kicked off on September 28, 2022.
While condemning the recent burning of INEC in Osun and Ogun states, the Police boss said; “This meeting became expedient following a noticeable trend within the national political space; if not promptly addressed could evolve into a potent threat to not just our national security but the electoral process.”
He said; “Drawing from the experiences of the past, electoral violence both in the process leading to an election as well as the fall out of elections has always constituted the most dangerous threat to our democracy”.
Noting that political violence manifests in three forms, IGP Alkali said; “First is violence that is targeted at the personnel and assets of the INEC as recently witnessed in Ogun and Osun states.
“The second form of political violence manifests in the form of inter-party intolerance and violence which often become particularly pronounced during campaigns, elections, and post-election phases. It is on record that not less than fifty-two (52) cases of such politically-motivated, intra, and inter-party violence has been recorded across twenty-two (22) states since the official commencement of campaigns for the 2023 General Elections on 28th September 2022.”
“The last form of political violence relates to the conduct of some state governors who manifest traits of political intolerance which often inflame political tension. In this regard, we have been receiving reports of some state governors who encourage political thugs and sub-national security outfits under their control to disrupt seamless and statutorily guaranteed campaign activities of parties or candidates with whom they hold opposing political views.
“In so doing, they deploy their powers and influences to either prevent the mounting of campaign billboards or pull them down, while also denying political opponents of spaces to undertake their campaigns or peaceful political congregations in contravention of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 (As amended)”.
According to him; “most of the recorded violent incidents or threats often result from political extremism, misinformation, intolerance, wrong political orientation, hate speeches, incitement, and, most importantly, the desperation of strategic actors within the political field who often place their parochial political ambitions over and above national security interests and our nation’s stable democratic order.”
The Police boss further stated that; “such actors, usually give a wrong direction to their party faithful, arm them, re-orient them and encourage them to resort to the use of threat, violence, and other extra-legal means to frustrate competing political parties and impose their own faulty perception of politicking.”
