IGP: Some governors use thugs, state security outfits to disrupt campaigns

Usman Baba, inspector-general of police (IGP), says some governors encourage thugs to disrupt activities of political parties.

Baba spoke on Thursday during a meeting with political parties and other stakeholders at the force headquarters in Abuja.

Ahead of the 2023 elections, there have been attacks on offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as disruption of political rallies in some states.

Speaking on the violence during campaigns, Baba said some governors show “traits of political intolerance”, which create political tension.

“Political violence manifests in three forms. First is violence that is targeted at the personnel and assets of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as recently witnessed in Ogun and Osun states,” he said.

“The second form of political violence manifests in the form of inter-party intolerance, and violence which often becomes particularly pronounced during campaigns, elections, and post-election phases.

“It is on record that not less than 52 cases of such politically-motivated, intra-, and inter-party violence have been recorded across 22 states since the official commencement of campaigns for the 2023 general election on 28th September, 2022.

“The last form of political violence relates to the conduct of some state governors who manifest traits of political intolerance which often inflame political tension.

“In this regard, we have been receiving reports of some state governors who encourage political thugs and sub-national security outfits under their control to disrupt seamless and statutorily guaranteed campaign activities of parties or candidates with whom they hold opposing political views.

“In so doing, they deploy their powers and influences to either prevent the mounting of campaign billboards or pull them down, while also denying political opponents of spaces to undertake their campaigns or peaceful political congregations in contravention of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

“Most of the recorded violent incidents or threats often result from political extremism, misinformation, intolerance, wrong political orientation, hate speeches, incitement, and, most importantly, the desperation of strategic actors within the political field who often place their parochial political ambitions over and above national security interests and our nation’s stable democratic order.

“Such actors usually give wrong direction to their party faithful, arm them, re-orient them, and encourage them to resort to the use of threat, violence, and other extra-legal means to frustrate competing political parties and impose their own faulty perception of politicking.”