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President Muhammadu Buhari has been charged “to direct the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to promptly, thoroughly, and transparently investigate the reported attack on the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, after a rally in Katsina State, and other cases of election-related intimidation, harassment, and violence across the country.”
The charge came from a Lagos-based rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), which equally urged the president to “direct Mr. Usman Baba, and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, to name and shame any politicians and other perpetrators of election-related intimidation, harassment, and violence, and to ensure that they are promptly brought to justice.”
SERAP in a statement issued on Sunday through a statement signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, further tasked President Buhari to caution state governors to end reported suppression of campaigns by opposition parties within their states, and to ensure the security and safety of opposition candidates, members, and supporters.
It would be recalled that Obi was reportedly attacked after a rally in Katsina with heavy stones while on his way to the airport.
This attack, according to the group, is coming on the heels of reported 339 incidents of election-related intimidation, harassment, and violence across the country in 2022.
SERAP's statement referred to its letter dated January 28, 2023, as saying, "Escalating cases of election-related intimidation, harassment, and violence are fundamentally inconsistent with the principle of free and fair elections.
According to SERAP, “Investigating and prosecuting these cases, and bringing perpetrators to justice would stop further violence, facilitate free and fair elections, and encourage Nigerians to freely exercise their right to vote.
“Investigating and prosecuting these cases would also promote and ensure the rule of law and democratic tradition in the country.”
The letter read in part, “The Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], the Electoral Act, and the country’s international human rights obligations recognise as fundamental the right to participate in one’s government, and the free and fair elections that implement it.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.
“Election-related intimidation, harassment, and violence are grave violations of the rights of Nigerians to participate in the democratic process and free and fair elections, as well as a range of other human rights.
“Free and fair elections mean elections conducted under conditions that enable voters to cast their votes as they wish purely on their accord without any threats, intimidation, harassment, or violence before, during, and after elections.”
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