MILITARISATION OF 2019 ELECTIONS: Transparency International Rings Public Alarm

As 2019 General Election knocks around the corner, individual and agencies have continue to draw public attentions to matters arising.

TodayNg said Transparency International (TI)  on Wednesday raised concerns over the militarisation of the 2019 general elections by the Federal Government.

According to the alarm, the Programme Manager of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, (intermediary of TI in Nigeria), Salaudeen Hashim, and Executive Director, Musa Auwal Rafsanjani, raised these fears during the public presentation of a preliminary report and research on “Involvement of Nigerian security services in the electoral process: Guardian or threat to democracy.”

In the report;

“The high policing of elections by a plethora of security agencies will not only make it impossible for members of the opposition to go out to vote, out of fear of intimidation but also for the general electorate not to exercise their franchise. It may also engender psychological and structural violence on citizens.

“Overall, it will compromise their professional credibility and deepen partisanship within their ranks.