Solve cash crunch, security challenges for free, fair elections – CSOs

Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, Akinbode Oluwafemi, has used the occasion of the launch of its latest report, “2023 General Elections – Challenges and Threats to Consolidating Democracy” to call on government and the relevant authorities to solve the current cash crunch and security challenges so that the 2023 general election can be free and fair.

The report launched by CAPPA on Thursday in Lagos was informed by recent developments in the political space and the sense of apathy and hope that continues to grow as the 2023 general election approaches.

The report stated that unrest and uprisings across the country, particularly in the North-East and South-East, are security challenges to the elections.

Despite the challenges observed, the report notes that there is hope that credible elections can be achieved, only if stakeholders work together to ramp up efforts in ensuring that all identified threats are nipped in the bud.

Oluwafemi charged the current government to utilise the days left to the elections to ramp up measures to flush out violent groups and secure villages and towns affected by insecurity.

He also charged the Federal Government to put heads together with the CBN and other relevant stakeholders to resolve the lingering crises of fuel and cash scarcity capable of negatively impacting the logistical capacities of INEC and other important parties such as election monitors.

“It is alarming that there is now a black market for Nigerian currency. There is no basis for the suffering Nigerians have faced due to the cash crunch,” the CAPPA executive director said.

On the argument that the new naira notes policy would curb vote-buying, he noted that a law already exists to take care of vote-buying.

“There is a lot of propaganda going on by the CBN. The India narrative of currency change being peddled was not done on the eve of an election. And the crisis was resolved the second day!” Oluwafemi explained to the audience of journalists and civil society groups.

In her intervention on the riots that have accompanied the cash crunch, Zikora Ibeh also of CAPPA said that “If policies will begin to make people anti-human, it is time to change such policy.”

Still on the issue of cash crunch, Hassan Taiwo Soweto, National Coordinator, Education Rights Campaign, “It is sad that members of the ruling elite are using instruments of state to undermine each other ahead of the election. Nigerians are asking the ruling elite not to throw this country into flames.

Tola Oresanwo of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, charged journalists to maintain factual reporting throughout the election period.