The Cleen Foundation, a Non Governmental organisation (NGO), has urged security agencies to take proactive measures ahead of the forthcoming Ondo State governorship election to ensure the safety of lives and properties.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 17 political parties are expected to contest the governorship election in the state, scheduled for Nov. 16.
Mr Gad Peter, the Executive Director of the foundation, gave the advice in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
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Peter said that it was important for security agencies to ensure effective security management before, during and after the election.
“As the state prepares for the elections, effective security management is vital to ensure a peaceful and credible off-cycle election.
“Security stakeholders must work closely with non-state actors to develop a comprehensive risk assessment and use the risk matrix to determine the strategic deployment of security personnel.
“They must also leverage technology and implement robust monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
“This provides the only pathway to safeguard the electoral process and uphold the democratic rights of all citizens in the state,” he said.
Peter said that recent developments and reports in the state had raised significant concerns about the potential for violence and security breaches during the election.
According to him, the off-cycle election in Ondo state presents unique challenges and opportunities for ensuring the security and integrity of the electoral process.
“Given the trajectory of the state around election-related violence, effective election security management is the only way to safeguard the democratic rights of voters and maintain public confidence in the electoral system.
“As the off-cycle election in Ondo State approaches, some of the symptoms of electoral act infractions are already playing out with the variety of attacks on the campaign.
“The early warning suggests that political thugs will be playing active roles during pre-election activities
“Security agencies must take proactive measures to mitigate risks and ensure the safety of voters, election officials, and all other participants.
“Preventive measures must be prioritised to avert violence and ensure a peaceful election,” he said.
The foundation’s Executive Director said that measures to be put in place should include strategic deployment of security personnel, surveillance and swift response to any incident of violence or intimidation.
Peter called for accountability and transparency in handling any breach of security, adding that perpetrators should be promptly brought to justice.
He said that the off-cycle election remained a critical test of collective commitment to democracy, the electoral umpire, the election security stakeholders and the good people of Ondo in general.
Peter said that the foundation through its traditional Election Security Threats Analysis (ESTA) was ready to help map out high-risk areas, based on past incidents and current intelligence.
