2019: SING FOUNDATION LAUNCHES #voteAMust CAMPAIGN: INSISTS THAT PERPETRATORS OF ELECTORAL VIOLENCE BE MADE TO FACE THE WRATH OF THE LAW

Against the backdrop of the forthcoming 2019 General Elections and Nigeria’s sordid electoral history which has for the most part been marred by violence over the years, a frontline NGO, SING Foundation on Wednesday launched the #voteAMust Campaign, aimed at driving civilized campaigns that enable the people to make informed choices as they cast their ballots come 2019.

In his welcome address at a press conference held at the Foundation’s Headquarters in Abuja, Mr. Olufemi Lawson, SING’s Director of Policy stated that the #voteAMust Campaign was not just a call on the people to be part of the electoral process but also to take possession of it. According to Lawson, “Nigerians have shown a lack of interest in the electoral process due to the lack of confidence in the system. We must give the people assurances of the safety of their lives and properties during the electoral process. We will call government to task on this”.

Olufemi Lawson, Director of Policy, SING Foundation ( c), delivers welcome address

Speaking further on the issue, Mr. Lawson cited the 2015 elections held in Bayelsa State, describing it as one of the most violent in the nation’s history. “We were on ground during the last elections in Bayelsa State and witnessed all forms of electoral shenanigans and attendant violence which led to the death of many innocent souls. We carried out a detailed investigation into the remote and immediate causes and came up with detailed report of no less than 300 pages which we submitted to the state government. Indicted in the report were people like Senator Heineken Lokpobiri.  Unfortunately, up till now, no action has been taken on the report. How then is it possible for people to have confidence in the system when perpetrators have yet to be brought to book? Unless this is done, we will continue to witness such scenarios repeating themselves over and over again. Sponsorship of electoral violence by politicians must be firmly addressed for there to be progress and those found wanting must be made to face the full wrath of the law. Only then will families and communities of those who lost their lives feel a sense of justice”.

On how the foundation intends to execute its campaign, Lawason explained“In the days to come, the Foundation will amongst other well thought out initiatives, mobilize people for massive peaceful protests aimed first at putting pressure of government to prosecute perpetrators of electoral violence while also calling on the people to take their destiny into their hands by taking possession of the electoral process.  We are engaging various stakeholders locally and internationally and we are working on strengthening our reach and structures to cover the length and breadth of the country”.

SING Foundation’s, Director of Research, Dr. Itari Turner in her remarks, expressed concerns that the nation has an emergency situation at hand and that addressing the emergency  could only be effectively dealt with by fully integrating  the electoral process with the laws of the land.

Dr. Itabiri Turner, Director of Research ( with mic)

According to Turner, “Imperfect the system may be, but we must constructively engage it to build the homeland of our dreams under the prevailing cirumstances. We must fight the scourge of electoral violence to a standstill not just in the Niger Delta, but all across the country”

Also speaking at the occasion, was a member of the Board of the SING Foundation, Barr. Kayode Ajulo who strongly emphasized that the big issue in Nigeria at the moment is the 2019 elections. He frowned at the practice where political parties are only interested in securing votes rather than engaging in voter education which would undeniably help to transform the electoral process for the better. He said “Based on the trends over the years, the state and non-state political actors must pay more than usual attention to the issue of electoral violence, knowing that for an election to be credible there must be mass participation and the votes cast must be allowed to count. Even our security agencies have a role to play but they seem to be losing the initiative. For now, all we see them doing is presenting budgets on what they intend to spend for their role in the elections. Why they are not engaged in in-house and public orientation? They must at all times carry out their responsibility with a consciousness that they are created to serve the masses and not to collude with politicians and their thugs to discredit the elections through intimidation and what have you. This to me is a vital aspect of their expected role in the elections. Seeing that the ultimate aim of elections is to reflect the wishes and interests of the long-suffering people, anything short of giving them the confidence to cast their votes in a free and fair process would be a robbery against them”.

Barr. Kayode Ajulo, Board Member, SING Foundation flanked by officials of the organization as he makes his remarks. Comrade Idris Abiodun Usman, Executve Director, SING Foundation ( far right) listens attentively.

Aluko also advised politicians to ensure that their campaigns are issues-based and aimed at pointing out their plans and programmes.

 In closing, the group called on the Bayelsa State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson to ensure that all politicians and their foot soldiers engaged in the 2015 Electoral mayhem, unleashed on innocent citizens of the state be brought to book without further delay.