PSN, Stakeholders decry militarization of election processes in Nigeria

PSN, Stakeholders decry militarization of election processes in Nigeria

Stakeholders at the recently concluded Peace and Security Network (PSN) quarterly Confab series has called for a stop in the use of heavy security presence during the 2019 General elections.

The stakeholders warned against the repeat of 2015 general elections and the 2019 governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti where security agencies where used as ” agents of intimidation through heavy-handed militarization”.

This was contained in a Communique issued at the end of the confab series in Abuja on ” Securitization of The Electoral Process and Prevention of Violence Towards the 2019 Elections”.

The stakeholders also urged security agencies to focus on the states and the local governments to strengthen interagency activities as well as collaborate with peace committees at the local level.

Going forward, the stakeholders also recommended an Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meetings conducted between different security agencies towards the success of the 2019 elections at the national and publicized and critical outcomes shared to sensitize and build confidence of the electorates.

Further, political parties, CSOs and Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) where urged to adapt globally accepted good practices by
deepening the sensitization of citizens prior to the elections to ensure transparency, confidence building, peace and security.

On conflict resolution, the communique recommended the adoption of mediation as a way of unbundling the legal systems and avoiding delays in obtaining justice.

The meeting was attended by several stakeholders cutting across Civil Society groups, Security Agencies, Diplomatic missions including the US ambassador, Police Service Commission, the Governing Council of the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and members of the PSN from the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria coordinated by Mr. Adeolu Adewumi.

By PRNigeria