Lawyer Links Electoral Violence To Godfatherism, Money Politics, Corruption

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has urged political parties to educate their followers and the electorate in order to avoid violence and chaos before, during and after elections in Edo State.
The Commission made the request at a one-day sensitization workshop for youths organized in Benin City by Queens and Pet Concept Initiative supported by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), against electoral violence and other vices with the theme: “Niger Delta Youths, Say No To Electoral Violence,” Mr. Richard Abu Ivharue, from the department of ICT, INEC headquarters Edo State, said political education of the voters is very vital for a sustainable democratic consolidation.
He added that INEC, the National Orientation Agency, NOA, civil society organisations and other relevant agencies should step up public enlightenment on the evil of electoral crises and its effects on democracy. He also begged that politicians should imbibe the spirit of tolerance, maturity and accommodation.
The INEC official said there is need for politicians to embrace dialogue as a veritable tool for resolving conflict and added that all perpetrators of electoral crises, regardless of their political affiliation, must be punished to serve as deterrent to others.
“Efforts have been made in this paper to discuss election crises, and democratic consolidation in Nigeria, since 1999. It was evident that crises have enveloped our electoral processes since 1999. The elections conducted within these periods were marked with cases of electoral fraud and marred with cases of cries,” he stated.
On his part, Victor E. Ohiosumua, Esq listed poverty, money politics, ethnic rivalry, illiteracy, corruption , godfatherism, financial inducement, lack of credibility, youth unemployment, impunity , human right abuse, hate speech, fake news, inter and intra party violence and insecurity as causes of electoral violence.
Ohiosumua said others causes are; stupendous wealth available to political office holders and a desperate manner toward politics by party leaders and members. He therefore highlighted the dangers, effects and legal implications of electoral violence as death and injuries, destruction of properties, insecurity.
He said youth involvement portends a grave danger to the future of Nigerian society, hampers effective political competition and participation, proliferation of arms for other criminal activities and external image crisis which affects international relations with other nations.
According to him, the challenge to curbing the involvement of the youths in electoral violence remains that of the right authorities implementing the country’s law, adding, that youths must be exposed to peace education.
“Youths as the doorways to a peace continuum must be exposed to peace education. It is expected that peace education will help to redress the culture of violence and aggression and also inculcate the value of peaceful coexistence among the young persons and adults alike.
Also contributing to the discourse, Wilson Ibhawa, said poverty, unemployment, poor value system and win-at-all-cost syndromes are some of the reasons for electoral violence.