Off-Cycle Election: CSO Expresses Concerns Over Insecurity, Violence Ahead Of Saturday’s Governorship Polls

The election monitoring civil society organisation, YIAGA Africa has expressed concerns over the unassailable level of insecurity and violence in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa ahead of the off-cycle governorship elections in the states.

Expressing its concern in its pre-election statement, the CSO disclosed that it was worried about the obnoxious abuse of incumbency powers that manifested through restrictions of campaigns, imposition of fines and levies on campaign posters and attacks on political opponents.

“Yiaga Africa expresses concern with the unassailable level of insecurity and the spate of violence across the states, especially in Imo and Kogi states. Also concerning is the obnoxious abuse of incumbency powers manifesting through restrictions of campaigns, imposition of fines and levies on campaign posters and attacks on political opponents,” a statement by the CSO partly read.

The organisation worried that “The lack of accountability for the fatalities and attacks recorded in the pre-election period deepens the culture of impunity pervading the electoral process.”

Calling for a collaboration between the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and security agencies, Yiaga further suggested that the successful administration of a peaceful and transparent election was dependent on “the effective collaboration and coordination with respective institutions like the INEC, the Nigerian Police and other security agencies.”

Naija News had earlier reported that security analyst Kabir Adamu revealed that 133 violence cases have been recorded in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa ahead of the off-cycle governorship election scheduled to take place this Saturday.

Adamu detailed that Imo and Kogi had more cases of violence.