Compensating victims of the Recent Electoral

THE NEED TO COMPENSATE VICTIMS OF THE RECENT ELECTORAL CRISES

     

         

Undoubtedly, every society looks forward towards actualizing a meaningful development. And it is obvious that no development will take place in any society that lacks peace. In the same vein, a peaceful atmosphere can never be sustained in any society if there is no absolute unity among the members of the society in question.

         

Apparently, one of the factors that guarantee unity, which is the fundamental attribute of any societal development, is fairness. The BBC English Dictionary defines fairness as ‘the quality of being reasonable and just.’ Similarly, the Cambridge Dictionary defines it as ‘the quality of treating people equally or in a way that is right or reasonable.’

        

Considering the just concluded elections in Nigeria, which encompassed the Presidential, governorship, national and states assembly polls, one need not to be told or reminded that there were series of casualties recorded across the country during the elections, which led to loss of several innocent lives.

         

Statistics show that, about fifty-eight (58) Nigerians were reportedly feared killed during the pre-election era; according to the National Human Rights Commission, sixty-one (61) incidents of election campaign violence occurred in twenty-two (22) states across the federation during the said era. And during the elections proper, ranging from the Presidential cum National Assembly to the gubernatorial cum state Houses of Assembly, the overall survey indicates that no fewer than thirty-two (32) persons lost their lives while too many others were maimed, in which all the states that took part in any of the polls were involved.

         

Since the deed has been done, we are not meant to apportion blame to various quarters or institutes, rather to make amends. If a painstaking study is taken, we will ascertain that each of the victims of the polls was either affiliated to a certain political party or a supporter to the party; whilst some were interested in the individual personality of a particular aspirant. Suffice it to say; the affected political parties as well as politicians shouldn’t be reminded that they have a quota to contribute towards ensuring that any Nigerian who is aggrieved due to loss of loved one or injury sustained is duly compensated for posterity sake.

        

The government in its capacity is expected to take a lead in regard to this proposed crusade that is geared toward ushering in a more united Nigeria. The federal and states governments ought to set up formidable and reliable committees to look into the pre, during and post election violence as it affect their respective jurisdictions with a view to ascertaining the actual families or persons that were hurt. The electoral umpire (INEC) must also be supportive in this crusade that is targeted to yield a rancour-free society.

        

On the other hand, those who constituted or were party to the electoral mayhem that led to the extra-judicial killings among other crimes must be brought to book. To this end, the police and other related bodies and agencies ought to painstakingly undergo severe and thorough findings that would help to fish out the miscreants as well as their accomplices in order to prosecute them accordingly. The judiciary on its part must ensure that the anticipated prosecution is handled in earnest and relentlessly without any iota of favour or fear of intimidation with the motive of allowing justice to prevail, which will go a long way to caution other Nigerians that are evil minded or are fond of taking the law into their hands.

         

More so, though the aforementioned electoral violence is not only peculiar to Nigeria, but there is a compelling need to note that such anomaly could be avoided if proper measures are taken. Since an average Nigerian, especially the youth, pays more attention to his/her personal interest whenever any electioneering campaign is ongoing, there is no gain reiterating that a holistic and rigorous awareness campaign is meant to be embarked on prior to any general or state election as the case may be. Such awareness should be focused on letting the electorate realize that no politician’s ambition is worth the blood of his/her fellow citizen. The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with the various civil society organizations is expected to take a lead in respect to this.  

          

Finally, in any action we take or intend to indulge in, we ought to endeavour to ask ourselves if it would be fair to all concerned, because fairness remains the rudiments of our desired change; in other words fairness should remain our watchword. Above all, we must continue to note that the better Nigeria we all anticipate lies in our bare hands. Think about it!

 COMR FRED NWAOZOR

(The Media Ambassador)

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frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056