IPCR Supports Use Of Military During Elections

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The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution has endorsed the use of military during Nigeria’s forthcoming general elections, saying it will ensure peaceful conduct of the polls.

The Director General of the Institute, Professor Oshita Oshita, gave the Institute’s support at a meeting with Civil Society groups and security personnel, ahead of the general elections scheduled to hold on March 28 and April 11.

Professor Oshita said: “It will be impossible to conduct peaceful elections especially in the north-east without the support of the military”.

The meeting with the Civil Society organisations and security personnel was aimed at identifying possible challenges that could be witnessed during the general elections.

Some of the discussants believed that the elections could be marred by violence, if excesses of youths on the social media were not managed properly by both the government and political parties.

Another discussant from the north-east raised concerns about the way politicians were engaging the civilian JTF, questioning what would become of them after the elections and after Boko Haram crisis had been contained.

Concerns and agitations over the peaceful conduct of the general elections had died down with the postponement of the elections date, but the plan to deploy the military to support other security agencies in ensuring that voters and voting materials are safe had been greeted with divergent views.

The conveners on the other hand, said activities of politicians and their supporters within the last week of postponement, further called for concern.

Nigeria Will Be Safe For Elections

Prior to the meeting, the Nigerian military gave the assurance that it was committed to securing the country on the days of the general elections.

Major General Chris Olukolade

This came from the Director Of Defense Information, Major-General Chris Olukolade, in an interview with the Voice of America.

Major General Olukolade is optimistic that this goal is achievable, given the increased regional cooperation that Nigeria is receiving at the moment.

“We have committed ourselves to working to ensure that we achieve the result of making the whole place secured and every effort is being made towards that end in the sense that we are improving our fire power, and improving on collaboration with other forces.

“We believe that every hand will be on deck. Not just the military but everyone involved in securing our country will put in their best to ensure that we have adequate atmosphere for elections to be conducted.

“The military is equally a stakeholder in the promotion of our nation’s democracy and anything that is done now is in good faith,” Olukolade said.