As the gubernatorial elections in Kogi, Bayelsa, and Imo states draw closer, the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) has called upon Bola Tinubu to take decisive action to prevent violence during the upcoming elections.
With less than a week remaining until the crucial vote, the CLO’s Executive Director, Comrade Steve Aluko, has expressed deep concerns about the escalating levels of violence in Kogi State in the run-up to the election.
Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Aluko emphasized the need to prevent a recurrence of the tragic events that marred the 2019 election, including loss of life and widespread property damage.
He further underscored the importance of closely monitoring the electoral environments in Bayelsa and Imo states to ensure a peaceful and violence-free election.
Aluko pointed out that recent reports from both Bayelsa and Imo states have raised alarm bells, making it crucial for Tinubu to take prompt measures to safeguard the democratic process and the safety of all participants in the upcoming gubernatorial elections.
READ ALSO: Ex-VP’s aide: Either Atiku Steps Down his Presidential ambition or be Expelled from PDP
“We welcome the promise of Bola Tinubu, the military, as well as the police to pursue a violence election in Kogi and the other states.
“But we wish to state that this is not the first of its kind since 1999. Such promise has, in many cases, remained a verbal talk lacking the bite it deserved.
“The 2019 violence during the re-election of Governor Yahaya Bello in Kogi where many were killed, properties destroyed and highest magnitude of intolerance, intimidation of voters, opposition, abuse of power, among others is still not forgotten.
“So, Tinubu should ensure effective and timely deployment, supervision and appropriate sanctions and denouncement of all electoral malpractices of political parties, candidates and inordinate acts of security agencies and INEC before, during and after after the election.
“Rather than wait to shed ‘crocodile tears’ or an abysmal condemnation of political violence, the best time to act is now.
“The presidency must act better than mere words. It should also set up machinery that will ensure electoral justice which will guarantee credible, free, fair and violence free election in Kogi State and Nigeria as a whole,” he said.
He emphasized that the foremost and fundamental challenge facing Tinubu, security agencies, and INEC is to demonstrate to the global community that Nigeria is capable of establishing a constructive reputation for electoral equity and impartiality.