By JOHN ONAH, Abuja –
The Special Adviser to the President, Media and publicity, Mr Femi Adesina has disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari is not against the introduction of technology towards free, fair and credible election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2023.
Adesina who disclosed this during 2022 International Day to end impunity for crime against Journalists with the theme “Media, Civil Society and Violence -free Election in Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja, said that as such, there was no plans by APC led government to sack the INEC Chairman as recently rumoured.
He noted that the present transformation embarked upon by the the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu was capable of giving Nigeria credible election in 2023.
In his opening remark, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, noted that the celebration of the 2022 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists came at a very crucial time of our nation’s history.
He disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government is committed to bringing to an end these undemocratic and uncultured activities through the administration of legally justifiable approaches on the perpetrators in order to serve as deterrence to others.
“I am pleased to say that the Federal and some State Governments have taken precautionary and proactive steps in taming the tides. It is imperative to renew our call on those involved in electioneering process to appreciate the fact that political activities are to be observed in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Law. Let us join hand in making sure that all campaign utterances are humane and in conformity with global best practices, thereby contributing to violence-free electoral process. As the 2023 election campaign gathered momentum, we chose the theme of this celebration to revolve around “Media, Civil Society and Violence-free Election in Nigeria.”
“As we approach the 2023 General Elections in the country, the role of journalists in the democratic transition cannot be overemphasized.It is gratifying to note that supporting fair, credible and violence-free electoral process in the country is one of the cardinal themes of the Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Justice National Policy on Justice 2017”.
“The Policy, which is still enforce, was signed on the 20th September, 2017. It expresses worries on and seeks to address the impunity for crimes regarding some election-related violence and malpractices especially the failure to hold perpetrators accountable”, he said.
According to him, the Policy documents as at 2017 notes:“The prevalence of election related violence and other malpractices, including physical attacks on (Independent National Electoral Commission) INEC staff and facilities, attacks on security personnel on election duty, misuse of security operatives by politicians, and attacks on political opponents.
He argued that, no effective measures have yet been developed for preventing such violence and malpractices, or for investigating and prosecuting perpetrators.
”At the center of the election-related violence are voters, the media practitioners and Civil Society Organizations.
“We noted, with dismay, reports of some forms of attacks on journalists and voters by suspected hoodlums during elections in some parts of the country”, he added
In a keynote address at the occasion, the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu lamented the threats of violence and crimes journalists often encounter in the course of carrying out their job and the apparent failure of governments to bring the perpetrators of such violence and crimes to justice that the UN passed a resolution at its 68 General Assembly Session in 2013 proclaiming November 2 of every year as International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (IDEI).
Yakubu who was represented at the occasion by National INEC Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna noted that the date was chosen in commemoration of the assassination of two French Journalists in Mali on November 2, 2013.
“According to UNESCO, between 2006 and 2020, over 1,200 journalists were killed in the course of doing their work, with at least 8 out 10 of these extra-judicial killings remaining unresolved. More recently, the Committee for Protection of Journalists disclosed that 16 journalists were killed so far this year, while over 290 of them were jailed last year and 65 of them went missing in action globally. Last year, 45 journalists were killed, according to the International Press Institute (IPI), a Geneva based organisation of editors and journalists all over the world”, he added.
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