To begin with, as the 2023 general elections draw nearer it is sad to note that electoral violence is still one of the biggest “threats” to free, fair and credible elections in our contemporary democracy. Electoral violence is not only a “threat” to free, fair and credible election, but also a big “threat” to sustainable peace and stability in our society. It is apt to state that violence does not do anybody any good. Violence is a great “threat” to our survival and development as a people and as a country.
However, it is important to mention that the youth are more vulnerable to perpetrating electoral violence. The youth are often being used by our selfish politicians to perpetrate electoral violence. We must, therefore, caution our youth to resist all manners of “temptation” from selfish politicians who are often the sponsors of electoral violence.
We must make sure our youth understand that there is always life after elections. No one should sacrifice his life for the “ambition” of any politician. Our youth should not jeopardise their future for the “ambition” of any politician. We must not let selfish politicians “plunge” our country into an avoidable crisis. Let us keep the peace before, during and after the general elections.
We are all witnesses to unimaginable destruction in the 2011 post-election violence in some states of the federation. Most of its victims will never recover for life. It caused the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives.
Hundreds of people lost their arms and limbs which they have to live with for the rest of their dear lives. Thousands of women became widows in just a day. Thousands of children were made orphans overnight. Properties worth billions of naira were lost.
The “parents” and “wards” have a great deal of responsibility in cautioning their “children” and “wards” against being used for perpetrating electoral violence. “Parents” and “wards” must continually caution their “children” and “wards” against participating in electoral violence.
Our politicians who mount the campaing “podium” must be responsible in their choice of “words” while campaigning. Our religious clerics who mount the “pulpit” should and or must be responsible too by continually preaching peaceful conduct of elections.
The print media “editors” must always remember their responsibility of promoting peace and stability in the society. The “production managers” of the electronic or broadcast media also have the same responsibility as the “editors” in the print media. The media must not let its “platforms” at whatever price to be used by selfish politicians, religious entrepreneurs, regional bigots, and ethnic entrepreneurs to trigger election violence.
The social media whose most users are youth must have a great deal of “self restraint” in their conduct while on social media. In the social media we do not have “editors” and broadcast “production mangers” as in the print and electronic or broadcast media as such we must be responsible social media users. More so, the youth must be reminded that the future belongs to them as such their “words” or “post”on social media must be carefully chosen. The youth must resist all manner of temptations from selfish politicians in order to maintain peace and stability in our society.
In my observation, as it is, electoral offenders in Nigeria usually get away with all their manners of electoral offences. There is hardly a deterrent for would be electoral offenders. For us to get it right, it is high time we established an independent body charged with the responsibility of “investigating” and “prosecuting” electoral offenders in order to serve as a deterrent to would be electoral offenders.
May God bless Nigeria!
Nurudeen Dauda,
Kaduna
[email protected]
