Abstract
Battle on the Ballot: Trends of Electoral Violence and Human Security in Nigeria, 1964-2019
Highlights
AND SUMMARY OF REPORTPolitical violence poses a serious threat to the legitimacy of the state and federal elections that will take place in Nigeria from April 12 to May 3, 2003. 1 Since party primary elections for local government candidates began in mid-2002, hundreds of people have been killed as a result of political violence in Nigeria, and thousands displaced
In the remote northern state of Kebbi, police reported that two people were seriously injured, eleven homes burned, and fifty-three people arrested following inter-party clashes on March 10 and 11.23 In neighboring Sokoto State, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) members reportedly got into a dispute in early March over the destruction of political posters and paraphernalia of the opposing camp
After July 5, Governor Alamieyeseigha and the Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa State denied that any violence had occurred at the primary in Nembe; it was only after the Ijaw Council for Human Rights (ICHR) report documenting the violence was released in August 2002 that the governor acknowledged that there had been a crisis in Nembe.[57]
Summary
Political violence poses a serious threat to the legitimacy of the state and federal elections that will take place in Nigeria from April 12 to May 3, 2003. 1 Since party primary elections for local government candidates began in mid-2002, hundreds of people have been killed as a result of political violence in Nigeria, and thousands displaced. This report discusses the obligations of the government and security forces to prevent and prosecute political violence, as well as the important roles of the national electoral commission, political parties and the international community in helping to reduce such violence. A briefing paper issued by Human Rights Watch in January 2003 described our general causes for concern in the pre-election period.[4] The current report follows up with more detailed information on incidents of political violence. It first presents case studie s of political violence in four states: Bayelsa, Rivers, Kwara and Enugu. A full set of recommendations appears at the end of the report
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