2023 GENERAL ELECTION: CLEEN Foundation launches ESSC

… Applauds the conduct of security and law enforcement agencies during the campaign season

Oru Leonard 

CLEEN Foundation yesterday launched the Election Security Support Centre (ESSC) to monitor the conduct of security agencies throughout the entire process.

Speaking during his remarks, the Executive Director, Mr Gad Peter disclosed that the short-term Election Security Support Centre has also deployed observers in 109 Senatorial Zones across the country.

“The observers are representatives of civil society organizations, independent experts, women, and youth as well as professionals from various fields. The objectives of the Centre are to (a) provide an accurate and impartial assessment of the electoral process, including the degree to which the conduct of security agencies meets standards for democratic elections; (b) offer recommendations for improvement of future elections security based on the findings; and (c) demonstrate CLEEN’s solidarity and support towards consolidation of democracy, peace, stability and development in Nigeria”, he explained.

He further said said that as part of its observation process, CLEEN Foundation will engage with various stakeholders as well as observe the polling process from the Centre.

“We expect to receive some diplomatic and local analysts at different points. Based on the findings, CLEEN Foundation will issue its preliminary statement on the electoral process on 27 February 2023 in Abuja. Our mandate is to observe and assess the pre-election period, the conduct of security agencies and activities on polling day, and the post-election period. Throughout, we will consider all factors relating to the security of the electoral process. We will assess whether the elections are conducted according to the standards for democratic elections to which Nigeria has committed itself. We will be objective, independent, and impartial as we undertake this assessment and conduct our duties”, he stated.

While applauding the conduct of security and law enforcement agencies during the campaign season, Gad urged Nigerian security agencies to improve their intelligence-gathering capabilities.

“It is worthy of note that during the party campaigns, security and law enforcement personnel were present and conducted themselves professionally. We urge security agencies and anti-corruption agencies to continue to follow due process and the rule of law as we move closer to the general elections on the 25th of February 2023. Although the conduct of party campaigns across the states were laudable, some party campaigns have been marred by skirmish in states like Lagos, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers where violent incidences have been reported especially political related killings. The most recent being the senatorial candidate in Enugu East geo-political zone which we call on the police to rise up to the occasion to bring the perpetrators to book”, ED CLEEN Foundation noted.

He then urged INEC, the politicians and political stakeholders to always shun electoral violence, vote trading and also be fair, unbiased and objective in the discharge of their duties the elections.

According to him, “The Foundation recommends that key actors in the electoral processes, particularly INEC, political parties, security agents, mass media, and CSOs, should pay increased attention to the identified risk factors to tackle them headlong through the various duty bearers. The early warning signs identified in the Election Security Threat Assessment report should be seen as a priority by appropriate authorities to take early action. Synergy among these agencies is imperative to the peaceful outcomes of the elections. We, therefore, call on relevant stakeholders to prioritize the welfare of all security agents and essential workers/ adhoc staff on election duties to avoid unintended outcomes. The key stakeholders in the South-East should activate their diplomatic channels to persuade all groups in the region to allow for a peaceful election process.

Let me conclude by saying that ‘Elections are not worth the blood of any citizen’ there is a need to strengthen and promote peaceful coexistence amongst the diverse ethnoreligious and political groups in Nigeria. This would help minimize the outbreak and persistence of violent conflicts that stoke election processes.

There is also a deliberate need to improve the perception of the public and to advance security accountability in the elections, to achieve this; the government must desist from political interference before, during, and after the elections.”