Women Group Flay Deployment of Soldiers for Election

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Fully kitted soldiers about to leave Nigeria for Mali

March 27, 2015 – A group of women under the auspices of Women Situation Room-Nigeria (WSR-N) has condemned recent deployment of soldiers for Saturday’s general election against pronouncement by several courts in the land.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, Coordinator of the group, Mr. Joy Onyesoh  said a  High Court in Sokoto, the Court of Appeal and recently the Federal High Court Lagos  gave Judgment against the deployment of the military during elections.

It said that the Nigerian Police Force is mandated to take care of internal security since it is a civic and civil responsibility as it pertains to the election.

According to the group,  soldiers are known for maintaining territorial integrity. “With the combat ready mood the soldiers are displaying, how will this affect the women in terms of confidence building and intimidation?

“Yesterday, pictures were shown on National television of soldiers whipping people and making them frog jump in Lagos. There have been opposing views on the effect of the scenario playing out. Some people have argued that the presence of soldiers on the streets will engender confidence while others have argued that people will be intimidated. The use of the Military in the elections raises the issue as to whether women will be afraid to go out and vote”, she said.

The group said it welcomes the ICC’s statement that any person fingered in electoral violence will face the wrath of the Law.

“With regards to the issue of security besides the peace accord signed by the candidates and the media messages, security should be provided at the polling units to prevent violence from erupting. This is because any time violence erupts women and children suffer most.

“The law enforcement agencies should, apart from providing security at the polling booths deal with situations of breakdown of law and order promptly and prosecute offenders. Unfortunately the Amendment to the Electoral Act 2010 which would have birthed the electoral offences tribunal has not been signed into law.

“As it is the prosecution of election offenders therefore still lies with the Police and the Attorney General’s Office. But Nigeria is obliged under the African Union Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections 2002 to do things that will safeguard the safety and security of the people”, she said.

“With the multiplicity of security forces including the military deployed to cover the elections, the question again arises as to who is in charge (is it INEC, the Police or the Military?). For the women is important for them to know the command structure with regards to who is in charge and who to report to when there are problems. This will lead to confidence building in the process.

She said that the Women’s Situation Room is a process that engages women in collaboration with youth, to engage and lobby key stakeholders to actively support their call for peaceful elections.

“We get our mandate from UNSCR 1325 which reaffirms that women must be involved in peace processes and peacebuilding. The process culminates in a physical Situation Room where an all women observer team are trained and deployed to observe elections and send to the Situation Room incidents from the field which are analysed by our team of analysts and which our team of eminent women from Africa and Nigeria  can act upon in a timely manner”, she said.

 

 

 

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