No fewer than 870 people had lost their lives in election-related violence from 2015 to date.
The National Peace Committee chaired by former Head of State, Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar and co-chaired by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, stated this in a report.
The committee stated that it began its peace intervention election periods in 2015.
According to the report, the figure has ignited fresh concerns over the effectiveness of the peace agreements, particularly with political parties and presidential candidates preparing for the 2027 general elections.
It noted that politics in Nigeria appears to have strayed far from political scientist David Easton’s description of politics as the “authoritative allocation of values”, with aspirants for political offices always embracing violence, intimidation and destruction of lives and property.
The Committee recalled that it introduced the peace accord ahead of the 2015 general election to prevent violence before, during and after elections.
It would be recalled that during the presidential election, the then presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress, Muhammadu Buhari, and Peoples Democratic Party, Goodluck Jonathan, signed the agreement in Abuja ahead of the 2015.
Both leaders pledged to accept the outcome of the election and to avoid acts capable of undermining the democratic process.
The report lamented that despite the hope generated by the initiative, election-related violence took place, adding that in a report by the Council on Foreign Relations said 106 persons were killed in the election in 2015.
The situation, according to the report, was worse in 2019.
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, revealed that 626 people were killed in the six months between the commencement of electioneering activities and the start of the elections in its General Election Final Report,
For the 2023 general elections, the Centre for Democracy and Development said 109 deaths were recorded, even when presidential, governorship and National Assembly candidates signed peace agreements in which they pledged to reject violence.
The report said the trend continued during the recently concluded Osun State governorship election won by Governor Ademola Adeleke, where at least 29 deaths were reported.
The figures have consequently raised questions over whether the peace accords have evolved beyond symbolic ceremonies into effective instruments capable of preventing electoral violence and holding perpetrators accountable.
It would be recalled that twop weeks ago, the Peace Committee midwifed another peace agreement signing by political parties and prominent presidential with President Bola Tinubu represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, the Social Democratic Party candidate, Adewole Adebayo, Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress and former Cross River State governor, Donald Duke, who is contesting the presidency on the platform of the People’s Redemption Party, attending.
The presidential candidate of the ADC, Atiku Abubakar did not attend.
The ADC’s spokesperson, Boalji Abdullahi, said his party refused to attend the occasion, saying the committee needs to and guarantee that breaches of the agreement attract consequences.
“We felt the accord needs to go beyond ceremonial signing. The peace committee should be able to call out whoever violates the peace agreement in words and deeds. We recognise the importance of what they are doing, but we say they need to do more,” Abdullahi said.
Also, the SDP called for stronger enforcement of electoral laws, adding that signing the agreement without consequences would amount to exercise in futility, according to the party’s spokesperson, Rufus Aiyenigba.
Aiyenigba said “our presidential candidate spoke the mind of the party on the matter on the sidelines of the event. The signing of a peace accord has become a mere seasonal political ritual good only for its symbolism.
“We need to enforce strong punitive measures against electoral offenders to sanitise our elections.”
Omoyele Sowore called the August 18 signing a ritual.
Adewole Adebayo said previous accords were violated without consequences.
Peter Obi questioned why office-seekers need to sign a pledge to behave the way public office already demands. Those are fair criticisms.”
