Nigeria: Editorial - As Nigeria Goes to the Polls

editorial

All eyes will be on Nigeria as the country goes to the polls over the next two weeks. The stakes are very high in what is most likely going to be the closest election in Nigeria's history. It is imperative that we get these elections right. This would of course involve the commitment of all stakeholders: the electorate, the Independent National Electoral Commission, the government, security agencies, political parties and their supporters as well as election observers. Everyone has a role to play to ensure that these elections are free, fair and credible. Even more important, the elections must be devoid of incidents of intimidation and violence.

It has been an acrimonious and violent campaign up until now, understandably so. The history of elections in Nigeria has been one of acrimony and violence. More than two months ago, political parties and their presidential candidates signed a peace accord on "the prevention of violence and the acceptance of elections results". Part of that accord included a commitment "to run issued-based campaigns at the national, state and local government levels." They signed a pledge "to refrain from campaigns that will involve religious incitement, ethnic or tribal profiling, both by ourselves and by all agents acting in our name," and a "commitment to fully abide by all rules and regulations as laid down in the legal framework for elections in Nigeria."

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