How INEC can conduct elections in Boko Haram-controlled, other volatile areas – Yandoto

Can you tell us your experience of elections in crisis areas? I can recall that between 1999 and 2007, I was one of those drafted by the International Foundation for Election Systems to provide technical assessment of Rwandan post-genocide elections. The election was the outcome of Rwandans realization that for the country to have lasting […]

Can you tell us your experience of elections in crisis areas?
I can recall that between 1999 and 2007, I was one of those drafted by the International Foundation for Election Systems to provide technical assessment of Rwandan post-genocide elections. The election was the outcome of Rwandans realization that for the country to have lasting peace there was need for them to have democracy. This was after the conflict. So, they decided that they would conduct multi-party elections.
The International Foundation for Elections Systems decided to bring election experts from all over the world to Rwanda, and in Nigeria, about two of us were chosen, one from the (SIECs) States Independent Electoral Commissions and another from the (INEC) Independent National Electoral Commission, and there were others from South Africa, France United Kingdom and Americas. We all converged on Rwanda to do technical assessment of the election and to see whether the election there could meet international best practices.

How did you see elections in the crisis-ridden countries you visited?
In the case of Rwanda, elections were conducted and everyone knew what happened there. Nobody ever thought Rwandans would ever come together and imbibe democratic ideals. But I think it was out of sheer determination of the people of that country that they achieved what they wanted.
For example, in Rwanda they have provinces like we have states here and elections are conducted at provincial level. I covered elections in a province called Changugu, which was the epicentre of the genocide at that time and when I went there they commended me for accepting to go there, because a slight mistake could trigger violence.

Apart from Rwanda, did you visit any other violence-prone country to monitor elections?
Well, when you talk about elections you do not limit yourself to the issue of violence alone because sometimes violence might not be premeditated as it could erupt even during the elections.
Here in Nigeria, we are talking about Boko Haram trying to constitute impediments to smooth conduct of elections in some parts of the country. We have had similar experience in the past where violence did not stop conduct of elections. We will have to identify those areas, enhance security and effectively mobilize people to carry out their civic responsibility and then we have elections.
But I think it is not only where Boko Haram hold sway that there is a threat to elections in Nigeria. In Zamfara, for example, the Fulani marauders are always giving people sleepless nights. They have also displaced quite a number of individuals in villages and towns. In those areas, there are polling units that are critical to the result of the elections, yet they have not even been noticed because everyone is talking about Boko Haram.
In Mozambique, elections were held at different times and dates. There was violence in that country and what the electoral body did was to conduct elections in the violent-free areas, leaving out the volatile areas until later, but it (the delay) did not take much long. But management of elections in that tiny country cannot be the same as in Nigeria. I think it is high time INEC started pragmatic study of the situation, putting  theNigerian factor in their mind. There must be elections in the country.
It is high time for INEC to critically analyze the situation because they would be saying handling security situation is not part of their duty, but the responsibility of conducting free and fair elections lies with them. Nobody would face a situation of this magnitude without preparations and I think INEC is not prepared. There are areas where elections should be postponed so that we can later on pull our security strength and pursue the questions of elections in those places.