The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has urged the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), “to direct the Inspector-General of Police Usman Baba to promptly, thoroughly, and transparently investigate the reported attack on the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, after a rally in Katsina State, and other cases of election-related intimidation, harassment and violence across the country.”
SERAP also urged Buhari to “direct Baba and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, to name and shame any politician and other perpetrators of election-related intimidation, harassment, and violence, and to ensure that they are promptly brought to justice.”
SERAP urged him to “caution state governors to end reported suppression of campaigns by opposition parties within their states, and to ensure the security and safety of opposition candidates, members and supporters.”
The PUNCH had reported how Obi was attacked after a rally in Katsina with heavy stones while on his way to the airport, according to his campaign team in a statement signed by its media head, Diran Onifade, on Tuesday.
SERAP said the attack was coming on the heels of reported 339 incidents of election-related intimidation, harassment and violence across the country in 2022.
In a letter dated 28 January, 2023 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said, “Escalating cases of election-related intimidation, harassment, and violence are fundamentally inconsistent with the principle of free and fair elections.”
According to SERAP, “Investigating and prosecuting these cases, and bringing perpetrators to justice would stop further violence, facilitate free and fair elections, and encourage Nigerians to freely exercise their right to vote.”
