A non- governmental organisation, Search for Common Ground ( SFCG), is to deploy 21 observers for Kogi governorship election, just as it lamented the high rate of political killings in some parts of the state as the election approaches.
Omolola Mamedu, The Early Warning coordinator, disclosed this in Lokoja during the monthly Stakeholder’s Conflict Scan Analysis on Electoral Violence in Kogi State, saying the 21 observers will be deployed to all the 21 local government councils of the state, adding that one observer would be deployed to each local government.
She equally pointed out that they have been selected and trained to observe and report to an existing database platform on early warning signs and conflict indicators she also noted that the early warning observers have reported cases of violence, physical attacks between All Progressives Congress (APC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
She said these reports cover areas of election related violence, identify potential threats to peaceful election at the pre-and post-election stages in order to facilitate an early response by stakeholders like the Police force, INEC, NOA with the aim of intervening to prevent violence.
“Series of attacks have been recorded during campaign rallies and party activities. Dekina and Ankpa Local Government Councils has recorded the highest number of violent attack among party members and supporters.
“On the 19 of October 2019, a party supporter was allegedly shot dead in Ayingba during one of the political party rallies,” she said.
The number of deaths recorded in Ayingba and Ankpa communities is quite alarming. There has been a rise in the use of political thugs to perpetrate violence, as this was recorded in Dekina, Ankpa, Olamoboro, Omala and Idah Local Government Councils.
The programme is being funded by the National Democratic Institute (NDI), United States Agency for International Development, (USAID), and UKAID.
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