By PETER OKUTU
...appeals to politicians to shun violence
ABAKALIKI—CHAIRMAN, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, weekend, expressed worry over the safety of lives and property during the July 14 governoship election in Edo State.
He said his fears followed the violence currently plaguing the state, pointing out that the safety of those to conduct the election were at stake.
Jega spoke during a one- day workshop organised by INEC in the state, on the theme, "Appraising the role of stakeholders in sustaining credibility and transparency in elections," stressing the need for lives and property to be given adequate protection throughout the election.
He said: "What is happening in Edo State is frightening and INEC is worried. We are worried because of those who are going to conduct the election and deliver on our promise to give Edo people credible, free and fair election. What is happening there does not augur well. There is a spectrum of violence and it may affect the lives of the people, especially the youth corps members who will conduct the election.
"We are really bordered about the security of the electoral process in Edo and protection of lives and property in the state."
Jega who was however, represented by INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute of Commission, Prof Lai Olurode, appealed to politicians in Edo State to shun any form of violence during the election just as he urged them to desist from winner-takes-all mentality for the betterment of democratic practice in the country.
He added, "the appeal by the commission to politicians in Edo is that they should stop seeing politics as a-never-lose investment and as something that is all consuming. This is unnecessary.
"People want to kill the same people they want to serve. The signs coming out from Edo State are very disturbing. What should we communicate to the international community; that we cannot organise ourselves and conduct election for less than two million people? How do we attract foreign investors into the country?
"We should allow the people have a say in the rulership of this country. Let people be more civil in this country as it concerns electoral administration. If you lose this time, it is not the end of life.
"Lessons to be learnt from this platform are that the electoral process is what it should be. In between election, there is usually lack of activities and that should not be the case. We are saying that we want to keep the debate and discourse of election entrepreneurship alive. We want to assure the people that when they lose election that should not be the end of life for them.
"Before now and after election, INEC and stakeholders go into complete slumber and then it will take another election period to wake them up and we say it is not a practice that will sustain our democracy. We want to sustain electoral discussion rather than personality".
Vanguard Nigeria