Ondo Guber Poll: CLEEN Foundation Urges Political Parties, Security Agencies, Others to Prioritise Democratic Values

The CLEEN Foundation, a civil society organisation dedicated to promoting public safety, security, and justice, has enjoined stakeholders, including political parties and security agencies to prioritise democratic values ahead of the gubernatorial election in Ondo State on Saturday, November 16, 2024.

The foundation noted that the upcoming poll is the fifth major off-cycle election to be conducted by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.

This was disclosed in a pre-election statement signed by the Acting Executive Director of the organisation, Mr. Peter Maduoma on Thursday.

“As the people of Ondo State heads to the polls on Saturday 16th November 2024, CLEEN Foundation has noticed heavy presence of security personnel in preparation for the election on Saturday. The Nigeria Police Force being the leading election security agency has announced the deployment of thirty six thousand (36000) police personnel drawn from Commands and Formations across the country joined with deployments from sister agencies – the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service and other agencies.

“Early observation by CLEEN Foundation Team in Akure, Ondo State suggests a tensed but peaceful atmosphere with last minute campaigns by political gladiators. CLEEN Foundation reaffirms its commitment to promoting peaceful elections in Ondo State through close monitoring of the conduct of security personnel deployed for the election.

“CLEEN Foundation Election Security Support Centre under the CSO Situation Room, will be open on election-day for observation, verification, analysis and reporting in real time the conduct of security agencies deployed on election duty,” the statement partly read.

Mr. Maduoma revealed that CLEEN has released its Election Security Threat Assessment (ESTA) findings for the election as part of its preparation for the poll.

He also mentioned that the foundation has engaged with relevant security agencies and stakeholders to mitigate perceived electoral risk factors identified before and during the poll on Saturday.

“This Pre-Election Statement is aimed to sensitize stakeholders of the CLEEN Foundation participation in the Ondo State 2024 Governorship election and her focus is on Election Security Management targeted at holding security personnel accountable to their actions during the elections. Furthermore, it intends to disseminate stakeholders call to action for a peaceful election in Ondo State 2024 governorship election.”

On methodology, the organisation said that it will deploy a standard checklist with its trained election observers to follow the conduct of security personnel deployed to secure the election across all the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Ondo State.

Similarly, Maduoma stated that CLEEN will open its Election Security Support Centre (ESSC) on Saturday morning to receive data from observers in the state, explaining that the ESSC will analyze and escalate perceived incidents with potential to disrupt the elections.

“CLEENs Election Situation Room will be open to the public via 07060785112, 09095965956, and 08075418287. Lastly, CLEEN Foundation will issue her findings on the conduct of security personnel during the governorship elections in Ondo State,” he said.

The organisation advocated for electoral integrity stating that “we call on all stakeholders – political parties, security agencies, electoral bodies, media, accredited election observers, development partners and the citizens of Ondo State to prioritize democratic values and ensure the electoral process is conducted in an atmosphere of transparency and fairness for peaceful outcome.”

The Executive Director acknowledged the efforts of security agencies in maintaining peace and order during previous elections, and urged the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other sister agencies to enhance their efforts in securing the election environment.

He called for heightened vigilance before, during, and after the elections against potential threats of violence, intimidation, as well as ensuring the safety of voters, election observers, development partners, media, and INEC officials.

“We advocate for a zero-tolerance towards any form of electoral violence. Political parties and their supporters must refrain from acts that could disrupt the electoral process. The electorates must be allowed to vote without fear of coercion, vote trading or harm of any form.

“As we head into the election, we continue to emphasize the importance of voters participation in the electoral process. CLEENs pre-election observation suggests high rate of disenchantment and possible apathy amongst electorates. We encourage all eligible voters in Ondo State to participate actively in the elections on Saturday. It is essential for citizens to understand their rights and responsibilities, including the proper conduct at polling stations and the significance of their vote in shaping the future of their state,” he stressed.

Maduoma expressed gratitude to INEC for the efforts put in place in planning the election – and encouraged the commission to ensure last minutes preparations are made to guarantee a smooth and credible process, and outcome.

“We expect INEC to uphold its constitutional duty to conduct the election transparently, ensure free access to voting materials, and take swift action against any electoral fraud. We appeal to INEC to ensure the full participation of the riverine areas of the state, ensure logistics to these areas are available and done in a timely manner, priority should be given to the safety of electoral officials in the choice and delivery of this task,” the statement added.

The organisation also enjoined all political leaders and their supporters to remember that democracy thrives on healthy competition, not conflict.

The statement further read: “May this election be an opportunity to strengthen democratic institutions, promote unity and peace in Ondo State. Regardless of the outcome, it is essential that every individual respects the will of the people and the democratic process.

“We also urge the media to play a responsible role in providing accurate and unbiased information, and to avoid spreading inflammatory rhetorics that could incite violence or hatred.”