With less than 48 hours to one of the country’s off-cycle elections, the Ondo State Governorship Election, according to a survey conducted by CLEEN Foundation, respondents who are residents in the state that partook in the survey are of the opinion that the election slated for October 10, 2020 will be peaceful despite the rising tensions, and pockets of violence reported during electioneering in some parts of state which has already heated up the polity.

This was revealed in the survey tagged: Election Security Threats Assessment on Ondo Governorship Election, 2020 obtained by Kristina Reports.

The possibility of a peaceful election according to respondents will be hinged on the professional and competent conduct by key actors during the election.

In the survey, a total of 851 respondents across 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) were administered with questionnaires designed by the Electoral Institute of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and CLEEN Foundation and it shows that 86.4 percent of the respondents believe that the election will be peaceful while 4.3 percent of respondents think otherwise.

Although, a larger percentage of respondents believe that “exclusion and discrimination against the youths, undue influence of money, godfatherism as well as troublesome politicians, political parties, leaders and candidates, location and inadequacy of polling units as well as voting points and political interference in the work of INEC” could trigger violence in some areas in the state.

Also, “political thugs, cult groups and religious extremists could pose security threats” on the day of the election and after the election.

The Foundation is urging key actors that would participate in the election such as “INEC officials, political party agents, security agencies, the judiciary and the media” to live up to their responsibilities in ensuring a professional approach in the scheme of things during and after the election.

Based on these, CLEEN Foundation, therefore recommends that “collaboration and continuous stakeholders’ engagement (INEC, political parties, security agencies, mass media and CSOs), intensification of political education and sensitization of citizens by stakeholders as well as effective regulation of the mass media in ensuring compliance with established rules and standards; and punishment for defaulters should be strictly abided, detection and punishment for the broadcasting as well as publishing of fake news and hate speech” should be strictly observed.

The Foundation is also urging the umpire and the government to give “greater attention to the training, welfare and professionalism of security agents in ensuring effective regulation of political finance to reduce undue influence of money for special engagement with young people by stakeholders is critical, and also, various security agencies should act promptly in responding to the early warning signs identified in this and other related reports as well as arrest and prosecute electoral offenders” if the need arise.

Stakeholders outside the purview of the election are hoping that the whole exercise will be characterised by the Edo State Governorship election held last month which was adjudged peaceful, free and fair.