As political parties gear up for campaign activities towards the forthcoming Edo and Ondo states elections, The Electoral Hub has called on candidates to conduct themselves in accordance with the rule of law and democratic norms.
This is contained in a statement signed by The Electoral Hub’s Director, Princess Hamman-Obels and made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to Hamman-Obels, the Electoral Hub is profoundly concerned over the irregularities witnessed during the primary elections held by various political parties between February 1 – 24, 2024 in Edo, and between April 6 – 27, 2024 in Ondo State.
She pointed out that these primaries were held in preparation for the forthcoming governorship elections scheduled for September 21, 2024, and November 16, 2024, in Edo and Ondo States respectively.
She however noted that the contests were characterised by alarming reports of irregularities and complaints in both states across party lines.
“The complaints underscore a worrying trend of threats to inclusivity and internal democracy within party structures. It also points to a readiness of contesting parties and candidates to flout electoral rules and undermine the integrity and credibility of the process.
“The Electoral Hub firmly believes that free, fair, and credible elections are essential for the sustenance of democracy and the stability of any nation. As such, stakeholders, especially political parties and candidates, must take steps to avoid actions that undermine the credibility of the process.
“Concerted efforts should be exerted towards ensuring the credibility of the process, not only on election day but also before and after the election. Any deviation from these principles undermines the credibility of the electoral process and erodes public trust in democratic institutions.
“As political parties gear up for campaign activities, we urge them and their candidates to conduct themselves in accordance with the rule of law and democratic norms. The most pressing concern for us during this campaign period is the issue of pre-election violence, hate speech, and inciting remarks. Parties and candidates must take steps towards preventing electoral violence of any kind, especially during this period of campaigns,” stated.
Hamman-Obels added,”Furthermore, we call upon the electoral umpire to address the identified challenges and take necessary measures to ensure that the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States are conducted in a credible, peaceful, and transparent manner.
“The umpire and other duty-bearers are encouraged to act decisively in bringing violators of the rules of conduct to justice in line with existing laws.
“We emphasise the importance of collaboration among all stakeholders, including political parties, candidates, electoral officials, security agencies, civil society organisations, and the media, in promoting a peaceful and successful governorship election.”
She reiterated that successful elections require collective action.
“We reiterate that successful elections require collective action. Also, an election is a process and not an event. The actions and inactions preceding and after the contest are crucial determinants of its success or failure.
“It is, therefore, important for political parties, candidates, and other stakeholders to begin acting now towards ensuring a integrity and credibility of the electoral process that the men, women, and children of Edo and Ondo States will be proud to be associated with,” he stated.
