Election observer reveals who is responsible for bloodyRivers rerun violence.

The violence that marred the just concluded
rerun parliamentary national and state
assembly elections in Rivers state got all
Nigerians talking. There have been several
criticisms accompanying the exercise form
concerned Nigerians, especially those that are
not politically affiliated.

Vincent Ehiabhi, in an exclusive interview with
Barrister (Dr) Anthony Orunkoya, beamed the
search light on some of the crucial factors
militating against a peaceful and smooth
conduct of election in the country.

Can you introduce yourself so that Nigerians
can know you?

I am Barrister (Dr) Anthony Orunkoya, the
National President of Movement for Survival of
Democracy and Africa President of World
Alliance Against Terrorism, Violence and
Inhuman Treatment.

What do you think of the violence that
accompanied Rivers state rerun elections?

Our groups monitored elections in the past in
Nigeria and we took pain to also monitor the
recent rerun election in Rivers State.

It is really shameful that at this age our politicians and
even some electorates allow themselves to be
used and subscribe to violence.

Why is there so much violence in the South-
South region during elections?

Political public offices or positions are so
attractive in Nigeria hence everybody wants to
occupy such positions at all cost. The violence
that played out in the rerun election in Rivers
State is indeed a reflection of the decay in our
society. There is high decline in moral value.
Brother now kill brother, sister now sell sister
for politics. No more moral conscience. For a
little naira youths are ready to kill for
politicians who do not care for their future. As
a result of the agitation for resource control in
past, the Nigeria South-South youths took to
arms and many militant groups were formed.

These groups were empowered by politicians
with arms which they use for smuggling crude
oil and protecting their local territories on the
high sea even as they agitate for resource
control. Premised on the afore stated, the
youths in the South-South region of Nigeria
most especially Rivers State have easy access
to arms, hence it was easy for them to
unleash terror at the behest of their political
godfathers. The leadership of PDP and APC are
to be blamed for the violence that
characterized the rerun election in Rivers State.

The two major political parties threatened
violence before the election through their
conduct and utterances. By their utterances
they prepared the ground for violence.

How can the law effectively curb election
violence?

I strongly suggest that our criminal code
should be strengthened and make political
violence felonious offence.

How can the government stop
election violence, before, during and after
elections?

The federal government security agencies were
not proactive enough to checkmate the
violence. It is my opinion that political public
offices or positions should be made less
attractive. The huge salaries and allowances
attached to such offices should be cut off.

Those that could not achieve anything in their
private lives suddenly become millionaires upon
occupying public positions. People are
desperate to occupy public office because they
see it as easy road to wealth. Politicians who
make public statements to incite violence
should be banned from politics. The Nigeria
police should be strengthened through
recruitment of more officers and proper
training most especially in areas of political
violence control. There should be more efforts
in educating the people on electoral matters.
INEC and other agencies should synergize in
that regard. INEC has a department charged
with that responsibility but that department is
not active. The various federal and state
government agencies on public enlightenment
need to do more work to educate the
electorates.

What is your advice to residents who live in
violent prone areas during elections?

I advise those who live in election violence
prone areas to be vigilant and report
suspicious movement to the police because the
police and other security agencies can only
work with information.

What advice do you have for INEC against
subsequent elections?

Aged Voter Being Accredited In The
North
INEC should be neutral in the conduct of
election. Attempt by INEC officials to
manipulate election process in favour of a
candidate often trigger violent reactions from
electorate. INEC should also improve in its
planning, logistics and execution of election. In
recent times INEC has displayed ineptitude in
execution of elections. INEC officials and
sensitive electoral materials often arrive late to
the polling units, electoral officers also
compromise their positions, election often start
late and most electorates’ names are usually
not found in voters register. These seemingly
ineptitude on the part of INEC are factors
capable of causing electoral violence and to a
very large extent also triggered the violence in
Rivers State rerun election.

Source:Naij