By Eric Elezuo

It is no longer news that most state governors have become an impediment to smooth electioneering in their various states as they have blatantly denied opposition the free access to campaign for votes. While most of them are clandestinely perpetrating the restrictions, some are brazenly carrying out the policy of restriction with impunity.

Consequently, the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has read the riot act against any form of violence or use of thugs and thuggery as the campaigns, which kicked off across the country on September 28, 2022 progress. But much as the riot act sustains, some governors have continued to perpetrate themselves as lord of the manor, not heeding to the calls of the Federal government or give obedience to the Peace Accord signed by the party leaders on September 29, 2022 under the supervision of former Head of State and Chairman, Peace Committee, Abdulsalam Abubakar.

Recall that barely two weeks after the signing of the Peace Accord in Abuja, the presidential campaign train of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was attacked by hoodlums in Kaduna, Kaduna State in total disregard to the accord..

Senator Shehu Sani, a former representative of Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th Assembly, who brought this to immediate attention, said the thugs invaded the rally venue with “swords and machetes”.

The attack was later confirmed by the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar on his Twitter page, saying. “I have just received emergency reports of attacks on @OfficialPDPNig supporters by thugs sponsored to scuttle the ongoing PDP campaign rally in Kaduna State. This is undemocratic and against the Peace Accord all parties signed up for just a few weeks ago.

“I urge President Muhammadu Buhari to call on all parties to call their supporters and members to order and to ensure that campaigns, just as with the elections themselves, are kept free, fair and safe,” Atiku, who has so far managed to rein him his supporters said.

Shortly after, supporters of the PDP in Zamfara State were attacked by thugs allegedly recruited by the ruling APC in the state, though the party, in their rebuttal, claimed that it was the opposition party that attacked its members.

The Zamfara Police command said one person was killed, while 18 others sustained injuries following a clash by two youth groups in the state suspected to be members of the PDP and APC.

Trouble started when the Governor Bello Matawalle-led administration denied the PDP access to campaign in the state, claiming that it had placed a ban on political campaign activities in the state, through an Executive Order on the basis of insecurity. It added that the ban was to forestall attacks by bandits hiding under political campaigns to cause mayhem.

The PDP said no Executive Order can override the Constitution of the country where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) derived its powers to lift ban on electioneering. The action of Zamfara State government was a replication of the Kaduna State government, which toed the same line.

It is also believed that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, who had been at loggerheads with his party, the PDP, has also restricted campaigns of the PDP and other opposition parties in the state. Wike had made it clear that it is only those he allow to campaign that will campaign, making a veiled reference to his party presidential candidate, Atiku.

On November 9, 2022, barely three weeks after the Kaduna attack of October 17, another set hoodlums suspected to be members of the All Progressives Congress attacked supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubarkar, during another campaign in Maiduguri, Borno, the home state of the APC vice presidential candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima

It was reported that about 74 persons were injured and hospitalised while a good number of vehicles were vandalised. This attack was followed by the burning of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Ogun State, critical election materials including over 65,000 uncollected PVCs were destroyed in the fire.

The attacks got the Federal Government into action as Buhari’s National Security Adviser NSA, Babagana Monguno, declared that rogues, in whatever guise and position, who plan to disrupt the forthcoming elections will be dealt with.

During an emergency security meeting organised by INEC, with members of the inter-agency consultative committee on election security, Munguno lamented that in just one month at least 52 cases of electoral violence across 22 states in the country had been reported, saying the situation was a bad signal that must be dealt with decisively.

He said: “We are all aware of the fact that the president, as far as he is concerned, is committed to upholding and safeguarding democracy. This is what the people want.

“The president has also given his directive through me to all the operational intelligence and law enforcement agencies to ensure that the 2023 elections are held in an atmosphere void of any rancour.

“The president is extremely pleased with the results of the elections in Anambra, Ekiti, and Osun and he wants a repeat of such performance – a manifestation of the people’s will triumphing over any obstacle that might dismantle the democracy we’re trying to protect.

“Now, I want to assure you that security agencies have been given clear-cut instructions to deal with any situation in which any rogue organisation or institution decides to embark on what we consider to be a fundamentally criminal undertaking.

“Any political party, including the party of the president, that wants to have a hand in violence, will face the consequences.

“Now, for those people who control these groups that have a tendency for unleashing violence, those people who have gangsters working for them, I want to send a very clear categorical and unequivocal warning, regardless of any party including the party of the president. For as long as you decide to scatter the election process, the law enforcement agencies will be uninhibited and equally visit you with the consequences of whatever actions you take.

“Those people who have a history of organising and controlling groups, please re-assess, re-evaluate. Hold your people and advise them that as long as they behave in a manner that suggests non-compliance with the election laws, they will be held accountable.

“Therefore, it is important to call the people under your control, those thugs, those bloodthirsty-trigger-happy, straining-at-the-leash, foaming-at-the-mouth, desperate to harm the election process — they will be brought to law. Already, intelligence agencies have been tracking these people; this I can guarantee you.

“Have a nice, quiet fireside chat with them and tell them to lay down whatever plans they have because whoever wins in any state, whichever party wins, has won. This is the intention of the president of this country. There will be no excuse whatsoever.

“So, if you think you can stretch security agencies, I think you’re making a mistake. You will be brought to book. If you think we have a history of not following through with whatever instructions given to us, I think this time you will be in for a real shocker.”

But like a heedless warning, the attacks persisted culminating in a fracas erupted in Gombe Stae, again as Atiku embarked on a presidential campaign. It was reported that no fewer than three persons sustained varying degrees of injury in the clash, which involved a local gang, Kalare Boys, and supporters of Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Three vehicles, a bus, a car and one Keke NAPEP, were reportedly damaged as they were ambushed along Pantami Stadium Road in the state.

Eyewitness account said that the Kalare boys, who were armed with cutlasses, swords, clubs and other weapons, pounced on innocent party supporters, who were on their way to their respective houses.

Again, the NSA rose to the occasion, warning politicians against the use of thugs to cause violence during the 2023 general elections.

This second phase of warning was issued at a ministerial media briefing organised by the presidential communications team at the State House in Abuja. He said promoters of violence during campaign rallies would face the full wrath of the law, adding that security operatives had been directed to ensure the smooth conduct of the elections.

“One thing I can assure you is, the president has given clear directives. The people’s will must prevail. What happened in Anambra or Osun and Ekiti is what we want to happen all over the country.

“Let the people choose their leaders. Whoever they want, then later, they can decide. But in the process of electing who governs them, we must be mindful of the fact that there are people who are hell-bent on forcing to do their bidding.

“It’s not even a function of numbers or a function of money. It’s a big problem. It’s a problem that’s also linked with the complexity of society because if you are really who you are, you don’t need to hire thugs.

“If you cannot restrain your thugs, the government will do that for you. And you will be called on the carpet and you will answer questions. We have a lot of politicians, and I’m not being specific about any politician or party. This virus has to be contained.

“I have given a clear warning that any politician who engages in any unpalatable activity – the use of thugs, and I know we have a lot of political thugs, straining at the leash, foaming at the mouth, desperate to bite and taste blood – we are going to apply everything within the powers of the government,” Munguno reeled out.

The NSA did not minced words in warning state governors using thugs to prevent opposition parties from mounting campaign materials in their domains that security agencies would soon descend on them. He also cautioned governors who present spurious excuses to deny opposition spaces for campaign. It is note worthy that states like Zamfara, Ebonyi, Rivers, Abia, Kaduna, Enugu and many more have at one time or another denied the opposition space for campaign, and accused of destroying campaign billboards and other materials.

Monguno, in his reaction on reports of state governors implementing policies that prevent the presence of opposition campaign materials in their states, described such governors as suffering from inferiority complex.

Sadly across the country, gathering of some opposition parties had been attacked by miscreants, said to be working for the state governments, especially in Rivers State, and in Kaduna, where a woman leader of the Labour Party (LP), Mrs. Victoria Chintex, was brutally murdered in her home by suspected assassins. Also, bill boards and campaign materials of opposition parties have been destroyed.

“So, those elements, who think they can deny other people the air to breathe, the political air to breathe, and reach out to the local community, they have another thing coming. These political elements should call the thugs, their capo regimes to order,” the NSA added.

There has also been skirmishes of attacks against opposition. The Labour Party political meeting has been attacked in Aninri, Awgu, Oji River, and Igboeze North local government areas all in Enugu State by niscreants believed to be political thugs. There were also incidents at Umuida, Enugu-Ezike, in the Igbo-Eze North local government area of state.

It is still not known what will become the election proper if the ‘violent’ governors continue this way. This is taking into cognizance what happened in Lagos State in 2019 when the ruling APC threatened and denied non indigenes and sympathizers of opposition parties from voting in the election. They disruption ongoing elections, and publicly burnt ballot papers and boxes in full glare of the daylight, and till date, no one has been brought to book.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, speaking through the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Operations, Dandaura Mustapha, on his part said no governor would be allowed to prevent opposition political parties from holding rallies in their states.

“Some try to manipulate the campaigns. Some even sponsor thugs to pursue the opposition, remove their billboards, remove their posters and destroy their offices. We are aware and we have full reports.