The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), has advised the voting populace of Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa states to desist from aiding and abetting malpractices and violent conduct which pose serious threats to the development of democracy in Nigeria.
They were however urged to come out in their numbers to cast their votes for their preferred candidates.
Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani) Chairman, TMG, speaking in Abuja on the Off-cycle elections in the states reiterated that elections aim at giving the people the opportunity to freely elect people who govern them.
He drew the attention of the public and government to some of the pressing pre-election situations in the three states, which could affect peaceful, free, fair, transparent and credible elections on November 11.
According to him: “This is the first off-cycle election since the general elections in February and March, 2023. Bearing in mind the widespread anomalies that were associated with the 2023 election, regarding the conduct of political parties and politicians, security agencies, the electoral umpire, and political actors that marred the credibility of that election, Nigerians remain concerned about the direction of the off-cycle election.
“It is even more worrisome that the pre-election environment in the three states is a concern for the successful conduct of the November 11 elections in the states.
“Assessments conducted by our partners, including the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room and Kimpact Development Initiative, have reported widespread violence across many LGAs of the three states ahead of the elections.
“On the back of these evidence that are before the public, the TMG will like to remind every stakeholder, especially the political actors, that elections are not war, but a democratic exercise aimed at giving the people the chance to freely elect and decide those who govern over them.
“These violent conducts are undemocratic and pose serious threats to the development of democracy in Nigeria.
“It is important for security agencies to ensure citizens vote in peaceful electoral atmosphere across the three states”.
According to him, the deprivation of Election Observers in Imo state is very disheartening to see in circulation a purported memo from an agency of the Imo state government procuring every room in every single hotel in Owerri covering the period of the election.
“What this simply implies is that the state government has effectively barred domestic and foreign observers from visiting Imo ahead of the election.
“For the sake of democracy in Nigeria, TMG hopes these allegations are not true, and that the purported memo is also not true, as this would present a blow to the democratization process in Nigeria and give others in power the boldness to thwart democratic processes through barbaric acts and practices.
“TMG urges the state government to immediately debunk this allegation and assure observers of their safety in Owerri and other parts of the state.
“Ambiguity relating to the Candidacy of the APC in Bayelsa. Suspicious Supplementary Budget for Vote Buying in Off-Cycle Election, the recent supplementary budget by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) which has also scaled second reading at parliament.
“The allocation of a whooping ₦18 billion for INEC to facilitate the conduct of Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi elections is completely shocking as INEC had assured that the funds for the off-cycle elections were parts of funds received ahead of the general election.”
