Less than six weeks after election campaigns officially kicked off across the country, political violence has resurfaced. On two different occasions, attacks were launched against supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, during a rally held in Kaduna State and the campaign train of the party’s governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr Jide Adediran, popularly called Jandor.
Surprisingly this ugly development is coming after a peace accord was signed in Abuja by the presidential candidates and leaders of 18 political parties participating in the forthcoming 2023 general election.
The peace accord was put together under the auspices of the National Peace Committee (NPC) co-led by former Head of State, General Abudulsami Abubakar; Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar II; Cardinal John Onayeikan; Bishop Hassan Kukah and other eminent statesmen, with the objective of supporting efforts aimed at ensuring free, fair and credible elections in the country.
While delivering his goodwill message at the event, President Muhammadu Buhari had expressed worry at the recourse to personal attacks, insults and incitement by politicians in the build-up to their campaigns.
He enjoined all Nigerians, political parties, politicians, security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and all stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria was placed first above regional and sectional claims.
Buhari cautioned against the shifting of focus from issue-based campaigns to engagement in personal attacks, insults, and incitement by politicians.
He said: “As the President, I have always reiterated my commitment to a peaceful, credible and transparent election, and what the Peace Committee has been doing over the years, aligns with my belief that Nigeria needs peace in order to achieve credible elections.
“However, the rise of fake news and misinformation continue to pose a significant threat to the pattern of democracy in Nigeria. It has shifted focus away from issue-based campaigns to amplifying the potential for personal attacks, insults, and incitement. It has also significantly diminished the civility and decency in public discourse and debate”.
But rather than heed the President’s advice to campaign without violence and keep to the agreement signed to ensure peaceful campaign and election, fear of violence is already threatening the campaigns across the country.
Many spokespersons of political parties have also failed to receive the advice of President Muhammadu Buhari that campaign should be based on issues and not engagement on personal attacks, insults and incitement statements.
Little wonder that what dominated the media in the past weeks have been attacks on personality and not what each candidate intends to do for Nigerians.
The situation looks worrisome to watchers of political developments because of all the 18 political parties, only two or three parties are on the field canvassing votes. Many fear what will become of innocent and law-abiding Nigerians when all the political parties enter the field.
First there were reports of an attack on PDP supporters in Zamfara, which led to the death of one person and many others seriously injured. Also on October 17, 2022 there was also an attack on PDP supporters during a presidential campaign rally which resulted in many seriously wounded in Kaduna.
Worried by the rising incidence of attacks, Atiku Abubakar has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to caution the supporters of other parties as the election campaigns intensify.
Disclosing the attack in a statement on his Twitter handle, Atiku condemned the attack noting that it was an attempt to scuttle the lawful right of Nigerians to assemble peacefully.
His words: “I have received reports of coordinated attacks on members of our great party, the PDP, by thugs in Zamfara State, which reportedly led to the death of one of our members. I condemn these attacks in entirety because it is an attempt to scuttle the lawful right of Nigerians to assemble peacefully and a direct attempt to suppress the legitimate campaigns of the PDP in the state.
“I reassure the Zamfara State PDP of my support, and most importantly, my heart goes out to the PDP family in Zamfara and the friends and loved ones of victims of this attack.
“I urge President Muhammadu Buhari to call on all the parties to call their supporters and members to order and to ensure that campaigns, just as with the elections themselves, are kept free, fair and safe.
“I have just received emergency reports of attacks on PDP supporters by thugs sponsored to scuttle the ongoing PDP campaign rally in Kaduna State. This is undemocratic and against the Peace Accord all parties signed up for just a few weeks ago.”
Also, penultimate Sunday, there was an alleged attack on the campaign train of the governorship candidate of PDP Lagos State, Mr. Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor.
The attack was alleged to have been carried out by thugs armed with guns and other dangerous weapons.
The incident was said to have occurred while the convoy reached the Ikoga Junction area of Badagry Local Government.
The Lagos State PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr. Hakeem Amode, said that several members of the party and journalists sustained injuries in the attack.
The statement read, “The campaign train of the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party was attacked today while returning from visitation to members of the party at the Ikoga Junction area of Badagry Local Government by All Progressives Congress sponsored thugs this evening.
“The attack led to injuries of several members of Jandor’s entourage and pressmen. As of the time of this press statement, one of the news reporters is in critical condition in an undisclosed hospital while those injured are been treated.
“The thugs that attacked the campaign train were shouting APC while shooting guns and using dangerous weapons”.
The party later urged the police to fish out the miscreants that disrupted the campaign of Jandor, and his Deputy, Funke Akindele, in Badagry.
Amode in calling on the police said: “Recall that our party raised concern over the threat to use sponsored thugs to attack the campaign trains of our candidate, Jandor, recently.
“We would like to state categorically that this will not deter the determination of our candidate to campaign for the next election and win the election come 2023.
“We hereby call on the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State and the Area Commander of Police in the Badagry Division to do everything possible to fish out those behind the attack and take necessary disciplinary actions against them to forestall such occurrences in the future.”
In its reaction, the Lagos APC said it abhors thuggery and any other form of violence in the name of politics, saying, “However, we find it repulsive that Jandor could level such grievous allegations and conveniently forget to give the names of the victims and the action taken by the battalion of security operatives who always outnumber his entourage.
“This is just another level in the propaganda machinery of the PDP candidate to curry public sympathy through blatant lies and unsubstantiated claims.
“The opposition party before now had more credible and accomplished candidates who flew their flags during elections and ran a good race. It is worthy of note that neither were they so desperate nor unnecessarily heat up the polity with needless lies.
“One cannot but wonder what led to the descent to the lowest abyss. Nigerians know too well that this is the season of endless comedy of the absurd coming from the stable of the professionals.
“They are advised to focus on issues based campaigns that will make life more meaningful for all Lagosians.
“Perhaps he should spend more time to seek the support of the members of his party who have been largely indifferent to his campaign rather than clutch to straws and cry wolves when there’s none.
“However, we understand that it can be overwhelming, frustrating and depressing to contest against a highly successful incumbent who has become the yardstick to measure good governance.
Speaking on the issue of attack on Jandor, the Lagos State Police Command said it has commenced investigations into the attack on Jandor’s campaign train.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, in a tweet last Monday, said it was important to clarify that the party notified the Divisional Police Officer in Badagry, of the time and locations of their visits.
He said, “Adequate security was provided. However, the campaign train made an unscheduled visit to a different and undisclosed locations on their way back without commensurate notification to the police.
“Furthermore, the command is awaiting from the victims a complaint/statement that would assist in the ongoing investigation. The assurance is hereby given that no stone will be left unturned to arrest and prosecute the attackers.”
It would be recalled that ahead of the commencement of the presidential campaign, INEC in order to forestalled violence had warned that a political message or slogan must not be tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly likely to injure religious, ethnic, tribal or sectional feelings.
INEC also said abusive, intemperate, slanderous or base language or innuendoes designed or likely to provoke violent reactions or emotions shall not be employed or used in political campaigns.
Speaking through INEC national commissioner in charge of voter education and publicity, Barrister Festus Okoye, INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu reminded the media of their constitutional and legal obligations, saying state apparatus including the media shall not be employed to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate at any election.
“In other words, equal coverage and visibility shall be allotted to all political parties by all public print and electronic media organisations. The same applies in equal measure to private owned media organisations subject to payment of appropriate fees,” he said.
The INEC chairman urged all the 18 registered political parties to critically study and pay attention to the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act, the Police Act and the Public Order Act for the proper and peaceful conduct of political campaigns, rallies and processions.
Speaking with THEWILL, President, Yoruba Council Worldwide and Secretary, NBA Epe Branch, Lagos, Aare Barr. Oladotun Hassan said, “Going by the recently signed peace accord by the major political parties and their Presidential gladiators led by General Abdulsalami Abubakar and Rev. Matthew Kuka, one would have concluded with a sigh of relief that peace be still, but regrettably when it comes to the witnessed aftermath of the series of violent attacks, murder and blood bathing trailing the various political party’s rallies and campaigns one will easily come to a conclusion that Nigeria election is a season of violence.
“Violent attacks are caused by multiple layers of reasons, ranging from intra and inter party pre-election crises, lack of internal democracy, forced imposition of candidates on genuine winners and age long hatreds of party wars leading to unprecedented violent fumes and unbearable loss of lives and properties.
“We have witnessed in the time past gory stories of violent mass killings based on vexatious and provocative statement of political leaders and candidates, some are fueled by uncouth and unguided statements by political party faithful and media spokesman”.
While condemning the attack on Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s campaign rallies held in Kaduna and Zamfara simultaneously were it was confirmed lives were lost and innocent people sustained various degrees of injuries, wherein a repeat of similar violent attacks was hit in Badagry on the convoy of the Lagos PDP Guber Candidate, Jandor, he said there is the need for the law enforcement agents to stem the tide.
“This and many episodes are relics ingredients of our election season, meaning if nothing urgent is done by the law enforcement agents to stem the tide of violence, Endsars bloodbath will be a child’s play to what 2023 Election violence hold in its kitty.
Hassan , who is also the Secretary General of , Nigeria Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Council further said that “there is the need to be conscious of the ethnic card this election is bedeviled with, almost all voters are divided into different cells of lumps of cancerous moles of violence on a keg of gun powder ready to explode anytime soon.
“Recently, one Igbo youth group threatened not to allow the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu- led APC to campaign in any part of the South-East, a reprisal of that could lead to ethnic war, most countries are grounded today as a result of ill-motivated penchants for inflammatory statements and media wars.
“I am using this medium to say that government at all levels, religious, political and other critical stakeholders needed to jointly address this monstrous issues continuously with vigour and indefatigable spirit of love, unity and peace.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us and we cannot afford to be refugees in our own land aftermath of 2023 general elections, hence our humble advice to INEC is to play fairly and wisely this time around”.
Also speaking with THEWILL, a former Chief of Training, Operations and Plans (CTOP) at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Major-General Ishola Williams, (retd.) said that violence, rigging and misuse of public funds have been historical parts of elections in Nigeria.
“We know those who are responsible, especially most of the state governors. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State is a very example with his appointments of all types of Persons as Political Appointees for electioneering purposes.
“His anointed successor and Chief Accountant has been hiding in Government t House. There is potential electoral violence in Rivers State.
“On the other hand, the Security Agencies corruptly make money when they exaggerate the violence, the number of personnel required and the budget, et cetera.
He however said violence is reducing generally as we move to the next election.
“Violence is on the reduction generally but it is more in the South than in the North.
Finally electioneering crimes and violence are now being prosecuted in order to reduce Impunity.
We may see less Violence in 2023”, he said.
About the Author
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
