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Inaugurate 7 member peace, mediation committee
From Gyang Bere, Jos
The Executive Director of Youth Initiative Against Violence and Human Rights Abuse (YIAVHA), Jacob Pwakim, has raised an alarm over threats of violence and vote buying during the 2023 elections in Plateau based on the report of “Long Time Monitors” carried out across the 17 Local Government Areas of the state.
He inaugurated seven-member peace and mediation committee to monitor and report issues of violence during the 2023 General Elections in the state.
Pwakim, who disclosed this during the inauguration of the committee on Thursday in Jos said that based on credible reports, 10 local government areas in Plateau are prone to election violence, hence the need for the peace committee.
He noted that the working committee which is under a project tagged, “Election Violence, monitoring and mitigation” and supported by Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is expected to respond swiftly to constituted authorities saddle with the responsibility of security management in cases of violence outbreak.
“As we are aware, elections in Nigeria come with mixed feelings, while some experience hope and enthusiasm to yet again have the opportunity to choose their leaders, others experience fear and anxiety courtesy of the violence preparatory to the 2023 election.
“We have come to inaugurate these men and women, to support other actions to be taken by both state and non-state actors towards peaceful and credible elections in Plateau State and Nigeria.”
Pwakim explained further that based on the January 2023 Plateau State report supplied by the “Long Time Monitors” spread across the 17 local government areas as shared by their partners, there have been 25 reported cases of physical violence associated with elections across 10 local governments.
“There are three cases of destruction of property, 7 cases of election-related protests, 4 cases each of recruiting and arming thugs reflected in just one local government; and 13 reported cases of groups barred from using public space for campaigns.
“There have been 52 reported cases of vote buying across 15 local governments. It will interest you to know where issues of vote buying as reported here and matters of safety and privacy of voting points remain a point of concern to many voters as also reported during our live radio stakeholder town hall organized last week on peace FM 90.5.
“It is instructive to note that, amidst the fragility highlighted above, this particular election will be hell amidst increased security challenges, and increased digital activism by young people which increases the sensitivity around the elections.”
Pwajok expressed gratitude to the 7 member committee who have accepted to serve in the “Peace and Mediation working committee ” in Plateau and play a dual function of being the strategic structure that designs actions to be taken in view of the available statistics about emerging issues and rapid response team that reaches out to those in a position to take action where the peace and credibility of the election are threatened.
“These men and women have been adjudged to be non-partisan, lovers and workers of peace and people who have often stood in defence of democracy and these are people who are willing to commit time and resources and to utilize their connections and resources for free and credible elections in 2023 in Plateau.”
He noted that the committee members who are drawn from the traditional institution, Civil Society, academia, religious leaders, security and the media are expected to work in collaboration with other stakeholders in the state and bring to use their wealth of experience to mitigate threats to peaceful elections.
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