Election, Peace or War?

By Clifford Ndujihe, Politics Editor

Electoral violence in Nigeria has claimed 1,350 lives since 2015. The General Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee faces challenges in getting political parties to sign a peace accord before elections. With the upcoming Edo election, the PDP refuses to sign, citing bias from the police and INEC. The APC initially followed suit but later signed. The NPC’s mandate is to support free, fair, and credible elections, but violence persists. Over 1350 lives have been lost to electoral violence since the NPC’s inception. Various parties have expressed concerns over violations of the peace accord.

As the Edo election approaches, tensions rise. The PDP accuses the APC and INEC of planning to rig the election. Other parties express concerns over possible violence and call on security agencies to ensure a peaceful election. INEC assures neutrality and fairness in the election process. The outcome remains uncertain, with parties divided over signing the peace accord and fears of violence looming.

The question remains: Will the Edo election be a peaceful exercise of democracy, or will it descend into chaos and bloodshed?

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