Polities: NHRC Raises Alarm Over Violence in Ondo Guber Poll

WITH only a day to the conduct of the gubernatorial election in Ondo State, the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, yesterday raised the alarm over possible electoral violence in the state and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and security agencies to take necessary actions to forestall any setback.
No fewer than 12 political parties are presenting candidates for the crucial poll but only three of them, drawn from the Labour Party, Action Congress of Nigerian and the Peoples Democratic Party are believed to be the main contenders for the plum job.
At a media briefing in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Prof. Bem Angwe, warned that the anticipation of fraud being amplified by allegations against INEC and security agencies by the parties, particularly ACN, might spark violence during and after the election.
At the briefing, attended by stakeholders and civil society groups, the NHRC boss also drew the attention of those saddled with the conduct of the election to the cases of violent attacks against officials and campaign offices of political parties.
He noted that the attacks were still inflaming passions a few days to the election.
Angwe said: “Allega- tions of ‘fake’ voter register and cards and arrest of some individuals with such cards are likely to lead to confusion at the polling centres.
“Effectiveness of INEC in the deployment of electoral personnel and distribution of electoral materials is a major determinant of electoral security.
“There has not been consistent improvement in this area as was the experience in the recent Edo election character- ized by delay in the deployment of personnel and distribution of materials that nearly marred the poll.
“Intra-party disaffection leading to the defection from one party to the other has also been recorded and this may also result in violent attack against individuals seen as political traitors.”
To checkmate the potential threat to the poll, NHRC asked for a joint meeting of INEC and security agencies to be convened today to appraise the threat level in the state and to adopt measures to tackle any anticipated inadequacy that might mar the election.