The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has been tasked with convening a conference to discuss developing issues before the 2023 general elections.
In an interview with Journalists on Friday, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, the founding Director General of the NGF and head of the Governors’ Mandate Group, provided the recommendation.
As electioneering activities drew to a close, Onaiwu stated that state governors, as custodians of political processes at the sub-national level, needed to convene to assess the myriad threats facing the political system, compare notes, and propose possible political and security solutions to neutralise the threats.\
“We keep hearing cases of arsonist attacks on INEC facilities in the Southeast. Police and other security agencies are not even spared.
“As of today, there are whole local governments and federal highways that people cannot dare go to because of banditry.
“These are places where elections should hold but with the prevailing circumstances, a lot is left to be desired,” Onaiwu said.
The Public Relations strategist, however, believes governors could proffer a quick panacea out of the conundrum with “critical thinking and frank talks.”
“I know my governors, many of them are familiar with their terrain and under the right atmosphere and support, these challenges can be effectively tackled before the elections,” he said.
The shrewd politician saw that non-state players such as rebels, robbers, militants, and secessionists cannot be wished away. He said that the actual reality in Nigeria is that gunmen dominate vast portions of the country’s territory, a position that might severely jeopardise the integrity of the polls.