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GROUP 4 TOPIC:
Collate eyewitness accounts on stigmatization and naming around 2023 general election (State your personal
experience of the 2023 presidential and gubernatorial elections violence in Lagos state/ Internet sources/links of
reports on the mainstream media.

FRAMING THROUGH STIGMATIZATION AND NAMING AROUND

2023 GENERAL ELECTION

LECTURER:

Professor Ogwezzy-Ndisika
GROUP 4 NAMES

S/N NAMES MATRIC NO

1 OBOMITHELU P OMOSOMI 209088014
2 SALAMI TAOFIK ADEKUNLE 209088060
3 OLUMIDE ADEDEJI 120905005
4 OLAYINKA OLUWALAYOMI ESTHER 209088035
5 CHIBUZOR SYLVESTER OZOH 209088089
6 SHITTU SHAKIRU OLAKUNLE 209088092
7 SANNIE OLUWATOSIN MARYAM 140109031
8 OMOIGHE ECKTALE ECKTALE 209088018
9 SHUAIB RAZAQ ATANDA 209088078
10 OLUSIPE MITCHELLE OLUWASEUN 209088021
11 OSENI SAHEED AKOLAWOLE 209088027
12 UNDIE ESTHER KANA 209088104
13 OLUFUNMILAYO ADEOLA ESTHER 209088020
14 GBADAMOSI ABIOLA AMINAT 111009601
15 OLUWASEYI TEMITOPE JOEL 070318096
16 SCHOLAR NCHEDOCHI DIKE 209088108
17 OLUWAKEMI SARAH SOGUNWA 209088073
18 OLUGBENGA OYELEKE 209088098
19 AKANMU ADESOLA TOLULOPE 110904021
20 ADETUNJI ATIBA 020117170
21 RAJI ABDUL-LATEEF NIYI 209088007
22 OLUWAFUNTO TEMIYE 209088029
23 YUSUF KAZEEM AKANBI 209088050
24 SONEYE OMOLEYE GRACE 071002092
25 OYEDIJI OLUWATOBILOBA PRECIOUS 209088091
26 ONYENEKWE ADAUGO LINDA 209088019
27 OKE OLUREMI 179088149
28 OLUWATOBILOBA ESTHER FASINA 209088082
29 OLORUNTOBA VICTORIA OLUWAREMILEKUN 209088013
 Introduction

The 2023 General Elections in Nigeria were highly anticipated, with expectations of a free and fair process

capable of delivering credible leaders for the country. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

promised a real-time result through the Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), however, the result was

not sent in real-time, which fueled tension and suspicion among Nigerians. Prior to the election, there was a lot

of hope that the process would be transparent, peaceful, and credible. However, the reality was different, and

social media played a significant role in the election. The elections were an eye opener to the power of social

media. A lot of positive and negative information was obtained and published through the media. Many attitudes

were observed and reported by individuals. Election results were also captured at the polling units and shared

through social media. We were able to follow the trends as reported by individuals for public notice.

The election was conducted in two parts; the federal election (to elect the president, vice president and members

of the National Assembly) was held on Saturday, 25th February 2023, while the state election (to elect governors,

deputy governors, and members of the state houses of assembly) was conducted on Saturday, 18 th March 2023.

Also on 15th April 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted a supplementary

election to conclude elections in 96 constituencies in 23 states of the federation where elections were inconclusive.

Some parties described the election as the worst in the history of the electoral process in Nigeria. This election

was so promising because the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) introduced technology that

was believed to solve the problem of rigging and other electoral malpractices like underage voting, double voting

etc. Also the Chairman of the Commission, Professor Mahmud Yakubu, assured that the election results will be

delivered in real time on the commission's central server, where everyone has the opportunity to view it as it is

being uploaded, which eventually wasn’t the case.

Stigmatization

According to online source stigmatization is the action of describing or regarding someone or something as

worthy of disgrace or great disapproval.

Prior to these elections, the stigmatisation and naming of certain individuals and groups were intensed and
 widespread on social media. The stigmatization and naming of these individuals and groups based on their

political affiliation during the 2023 elections in Nigeria is actually a major concern, as this was done in order to

discredit them and their intentions, thereby swaying public perception against them. Some derogatory names like

"obidiot" "batidiot" “Lagos is no man’s land” etc. became common and a trend. These derogatory labels

significantly impact the political climate of Nigeria. Many of these names are often coined by various political

parties or their supporters to demeanand discredit opponents and sway public support in their favor.

Therefore, the 2023 elections represent a missed opportunity for the development of democracy in Nigeria. There

were hopes that these elections would consolidate and improve the progress achieved through electoral reforms

and innovations introduced since 2011. However, these expectations were dashed as several accredited election

monitoring groups reported that the credibility of the 2023 election was seriously tarnished by various obstacles.

The 2023 general election in Nigeria was marked with a lot of tension, violence, and stigmatization. People were

stigmatized based on their political affiliations, ethnicity, religion, and social status. These acts were not only

carried out by individuals or groups but were also perpetuated by politicians who used it as a tool to gain political

power.

The election suffered several lingering deficiencies in election administration, including inefficient,

mismanagement of permanent voters’ cards (PVCs) distribution, failure of operational and logistical

arrangements, malfunctioning of election technology, inefficient handling of results management procedures, lack

of transparent results collation and declaration process, and poor crisis communication. The high level of election

violence and insecurity as well as massive vote-buying that occurred further undermined the credibility of the

2023 election.

Like most elections in Nigeria, the 2023 general election was conducted under a deeply contentious, and disputed,

atmosphere. For the first time in Nigeria's fourth republic, the three major parties (All Progressives Congress

APC, People's Democratic Party PDP and Labor Party LP) fought a tough but divisive election campaign. The

campaigns leading up to the 2023 elections highlighted divisions in Nigerian politics, particularly along ethnic,

religious and regional lines.

However, on the day of the presidential election, Nigerians exercised their democratic rights by participating in

the election, despite the spread of violence and voters’ suppression that occurred during the process. Even though

there were high hopes for transparency and fairness, the election was marred by widespread allegations of

corruption, including, vote buying, manipulation of voter lists, compromised officials, a lack of accountability on

the INEC officials, technical problems and allegations of deficiencies, resulting in legal disputes in court.

ELECTORAL VIOLENCE

Nigeria is one of the countries in Africa characterized by political violence during electoral periods. Since the

return to democracy in 1999, violent incidents have marred almost every election cycle in Nigeria. Electoral

violence refers to any type of violence that can occur during an electoral process. It includes any act of

intimidation, harassment, or physical assault aimed at any candidate, their supporters or the public at large.

The Electoral Violence Monitoring and Mitigation Group report of the civil society organization, Kimpact

Development Initiative (KDI) shows that Nigeria recorded no less than 238 incidents of violence during the 2023

election period, resulting in 24 deaths. The report also showed that a total of 98 violent incidents occurred during

the Feb. 25 presidential election, and 140 were reported during state gubernatorial and House elections in March

2023. The report also showed that a total of 98 of the total violence occurred during the February 25 presidential

election as 140 were reported during the March Governorship and State House of Assembly polls (Biriowo, 2023).

In addition, the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) reported that there was disruption of

the voting process due to numerous incidents of crime and intimidation on the election days in various places,

especially in the southern part of the country, than other regions. About 21 fatalities were reported. Violence

against voters, INEC staff, civil observers and journalists occurred at polling stations in several states (Babatunde,

2023).

According to Jeremiah (2022) INEC offices and personnel were also attacked. There were about 50 attacks across

15 states in three years, with Imo state topping the chart with 11 incidents between 2019 and 2022, while Osun

State came second, with 7 incidents, and then Enugu, Akwa-Ibom and so on.
This is a pictorial representation of 2023 presidential election violence. Her name is Jennifer Efidi, she was a

victim bottle attack by political thugs at a polling unit in the Surulere neighborhood of Lagos State. This is a

Nigerian woman whose strength has been attributed to symbol of bravery and tenacity after returning to cast her

vote in the past presidential and National Assembly election despite facial injuries. The incident occurred at a

polling unit in the Surulere area in Lagos State on Saturday, February 25th.

Speaking to the news media outlet Jennifer said, “My second eye was open and I could see that people were

running away; everybody that sighted me screamed and ran away and I ran into the building where our polling

unit was until a woman held me and used the handkerchief she had to put pressure on my face but that couldn’t

stop the bleeding. Yes, it was that much,” she added with unmistakable tremor in her voice.

https://punchng.com/i-developed-high-blood-pressure-after-polling-booth-attack-lagos-woman/
In addition, killing of opposition party members were recorded. Such instance can be seen in Enugu, the Labour

Party senatorial candidate for Enugu East, Mr Chukwu , as well as his personal assistant were killed 72 hours

before the February elections, making the political party to request for a postponement to enable the party

conduct a fresh primaries and participate in the election (Nathaniel, 2023).

It should be noted that in past election cycles, there has also been a rise in partisan violence based on ethnic and

sectarian differences, leading to numerous incidents of killings. This unrest was at its peak in 2011, as clashes

between the supporters of the then-ruling PDP and the Congress for Progressive Change, later merged into the

APC, caused the deaths of approximately 800 individuals after President Goodluck Jonathan's election. Similarly,

during the 2015 and 2019 elections, hundreds are said to have lost their lives. The graph below according to

Dataphyte indicate the trend of electoral violence in Nigeria.

Source: Dataphyte

As a result of the prevailing hostile atmosphere, election results are often disputed and in the case of Nigeria,

significant litigation and petitions always follow elections with opponents and aggrieved stakeholders filing
lawsuits to challenge the result of the election. According to Dataphyte report in March 2023, the number of

petitions filed in Nigeria’s general elections from 2003 to 2023 is at estimated at 3,959 with 2007 being the year

that recorded the most petition with 1290 petitions (Babatunde, 2023).

ETHNIC POLITICS ON THE RISE

Ethnic politics has been a bane of Nigeria politics for long. Ethnic politics in election refers to the use of ethnicity

as a tool to achieve political gains. It is the practice where political candidates or parties use tribal or ethnic

affiliations to appeal to voters, in order to win elections. Nigeria is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in

Africa, with over 250 ethnic groups and three dominant groups - the Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and Igbo. The use of

ethnicity and tribalism in elections goes back to the pre-independence era when socio-political and economic

power was concentrated in the hands of a few elite groups. Since then, ethnic politics has become a dominant

feature of Nigerian politics, with politicians using tribal affiliations to mobilize support and gain political power.

During the 2023 election.

For instance the “Yoruba ronu” slogan gained significant attention during the 2023 elections. The phrase "Yoruba

ronu" translates to "Yoruba, think" in English. It was used as a rallying cry for the Yoruba people of Nigeria to

critically evaluate the presidential candidates and make informed decisions during the election (most likely to

support a Yoruba candidate in this case).

Ethnic politics in Nigeria has resulted in the formation of ethnic-based political parties and movements such as

the Arewa People's Congress, the Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, and the Afenifere group. These groups have received

support and financial aid from their ethnic groups and have often used their influence to demand political

appointments and resources for their respective groups.

In the 2023 presidential elections, ethnic politics was a significant issue, with candidates and political parties

relying on ethnic affiliations to garner support, and as a result, led to voters’ suppression. For instance, though

Lagos is cosmopolitan, the Labour Party is perceived to be largely Igbo and this led to attacks on some voters in

Lagos, because some affiliates of the ruling party, like Musiliu Akinsanya (popularly known as MC Oluomo)

threatened Igbo voters in Lagos State, and this threat was carried on the election date. Many users of social media
complained of not being able to vote because they are Igbos. Even the Yorubas who were suspected to be

Igbosby the opponents were attacked and prevented from voting.

LOW VOTER TURNOUT

The low voter turnout during the election in Nigeria has been a major concern not just for Nigerians, but also for

international organizations such as the European Union (EU). The EU, in its report on the 2023 general elections

in Nigeria, identified several factors that contributed to the low voter turnout.

One of the factors identified by the EU report was voter apathy, which was mainly as a result of lack of trust in

the electoral process. Many Nigerians believe that their votes do not count, given the high level of electoral

malpractices that have characterized previous elections. This lack of faith in the electoral process has resulted in

many people viewing elections as a waste of time and resources, leading to low voter turnout.

The report also highlighted logistical challenges faced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

as a factor that contributed to the low voter turnout. The report noted that poorly organized distribution of ballot
materials, inadequate security measures, and poorly trained personnel were some of the factors that resulted in

delays and confusion at polling centers. Some Nigerians were discouraged from voting due to long queues and

the uncertainty of when they will cast their vote.

Furthermore, the report identified the challenging political environment in the country, characterized by political

violence and intimidation, as a factor that contributed to low voter turnout. Many Nigerians were afraid to come

out to vote for fear of violence and intimidation from political thugs. This fear was particularly heightened in

areas that were considered hotspots for election-related violence.

Despite being the most expensive election since Nigeria's return to democracy in 1999, the turnout recorded was

only 26.7%, which is the lowest ever (Hoffman, 2023). This decline in numbers is a clear indication that Nigeria's

political landscape and state institutions remain exclusive rather than inclusive.

TECHNOLOGY IS NOT ENOUGH

BVAS (Biometric Verification Authentication System) was extensively used in the just concluded election in

Nigeria. The system is a biometric identification platform designed to curb electoral fraud and ensure transparency

in the voting process. It works by capturing an individual’s fingerprints and photograph, which are then stored in

a database.

Following the conclusion of the presidential and National Assembly elections, questions have risen regarding the

effectiveness of the bimodal voter accreditation system and election results verification portal established by the

Independent National Election Commission to improve the electoral process (Jaiyeola, 2023), because it did not

meet expectations election.

The 2023 elections in Nigeria saw the introduction of two new technologies - the Biometric Voter Accreditation

System (BVAS) and the electronic result transmission system, known as the Independent National Electoral

Commission (INEC) Result Viewing (IReV) platform - aimed at improving the transparency and accountability

of the election process. However, the results of the elections have been widely criticized as reflecting a poor

performance of these technologies, with many citing the limitations of technology in achieving free and fair

elections.

One of the biggest criticisms of BVAS was its inability to properly authenticate voters, and as a result, some

people were not able to vote.

The IREV, on the other hand, faced criticisms for its poor functionality and lack of transparency. Many voters

and election observers reported difficulty accessing the system, which was supposed to allow them to view and

verify the election results in real-time. In some cases, the platform crashed altogether, leaving many observers in

the dark about the progress of the election. Additionally, the lack of proper training and education on the use of

the platform meant that many officials were unaware of its features and unable to use it effectively.

Overall, the poor performance of these technologies in the 2019 elections highlights the limitations of technology

in achieving free and fair elections. While these systems are important tools for enhancing transparency and

accountability, they cannot be relied upon as a panacea for all electoral challenges. Instead, a more holistic

approach is needed that includes strong political will, effective legal frameworks, and a commitment to

transparency and accountability at all levels of government and society.

In addition to these broader challenges, there are a number of specific technical concerns that must be addressed

in order to make electoral technologies more effective in Nigeria and elsewhere. For BVAS, this may involve

improving the accuracy and reliability of fingerprint scanning technology, as well as addressing issues such as

connectivity and system redundancy. For IREV, there is a need to ensure that the platform is properly designed

and tested before deployment and that adequate training and support is provided to officials and election

observers.
Ultimately, technology is only one part of the solution to the challenges of conducting free and fair elections.

While it can contribute significantly to improving the transparency and accountability of the electoral process, it

must be complemented by other measures to address the underlying political, social, and economic factors that

contribute to electoral malpractice. By taking a more holistic approach to electoral reform, Nigeria and other

countries can work towards building more stable, democratic societies that promote the rule of law, human rights,

and good governance.

Eye Witness Account and Experience

‘Na run I run go aus now....thugs scattered everything here in Iba ojo. The police was there and did
nothing. The thugs almost collect my phone where I wan video. Men....this is the first election wey I go
run like dis. God abeg o. Save us na your hand we dey’

[2/25, 17:46]: ‘I am seeing videos of thugs snatching ballot boxes, disrupting the elections and even
threatening people to vote only APC’

[2/25, 17:47]: ‘I saw a video of a thug threatening he doesn't want to see any igbo person at the polling
unit. Na wa oo’

[2/25, 18:08]: ‘K C Awosa: Where we wan see ballot paper? For my unit the thugs even carry one BVA
and the copper wey dey attend to us change to mofty immediately and japa....my sis this election is not
phunny at all oh’

[2/25, 18:27]: ‘Omerenna Chukwuemeka Awosa: Polling booth centre 027 @ Aratumi, the ballot box
was snatched by hoodlums working for APC. Some other polling booth centres around were also
hijacked by the APC agberos who were armed with bottles and knifes’

[2/26, 08:19]: ‘Udeoka Gloria Awosa: Fr, una military no try at all. They were no where to be found at
the polling units. My booth, it took the Igbo men after I had called you severally to bring them to stay till
we finished counting. My question now is, does it mean that all those truck load of soldiers we saw are
just for show off. It's quite disappointing really’

[2/26, 08:25]: ‘Udeoka Gloria Awosa: Yes Fr, they were out but very far away from the main areas they
are needed. Cos, when I saw that Buhari commanded you guys to be out, it gave me this confidence that
the exercise will be peaceful, but when they were only on high ways, the APC devil's were able to
achieve their aim in some area's. It took the boldness of many obidents to stand them up at my polling
unit and we still delivered LP there’

[3/18, 10:44]: ‘Igwe Capinta AWOSA: This election is really worse than the presidential no security
anywhere..all planned out to favour Klins uncle’
[3/18, 10:49]: ‘The intimidation and oppression is out of this world. The thugs are almost in every corner.
It's quite unfortunate that we find ourselves in this situation’

[3/18, 11:09]: “Mr Bill 3 Awosa: My area is safe , boyz in the area are alert and have position their-selves
in case of anything. So far it going smoothly here’

[3/18, 11:45]: ‘K C Awosa: My place na no go area, once you get to the unit they are there already. They
tell you to vote for APC or leave. If you try video you collect beating. I don run the first leg. Them full
everywhere. Carry Okada, Keke dey run the street like they are on patrol. Iba no follow at all’

[3/18, 14:41]: ‘Gloria Awosa: They did same in my unit, d guys face them about 3 different time, last
last they went yo bring gun, everybody done Japa, polling unit destroyed. It well with us. Why d
election they would have giving it to APC so we go go our biz.’

[3/18, 14:42]: “Selectable Thrift: Even my area too na so like 3times dem Don fight na so them don move
poll unit that 3times”

[3/18, 14:43]: “K C Awosa: The worst Is that there is no security operatives willing to tackle them. They
just play along”

[3/18, 15:05]: “Samson Ashie Awosa 2: In my area this morning the Oba himself came out with thugs
and moving from one polling unit to the other tell people if u not voting APC better go home me just
stand dey look am dey shake my head”

[3/18, 15:10]: “Did you know? There was no election today in Lagos. In Alimosho Igando, no non
indigene was allowed to vote. There was an open intimidation of voters. The worst election I have
witnessed since this democracy”

[3/18, 15:50]: “O Today being 18 th of March 2023 at LA primary school Tedi opposite ojo barracks,
APC people came and scatter ballot papers and burn it and injured many people, Tedi Town didn't cast
their vote, and police are many but can't help the situation, from assistant coordinator ojo Lagos”

Note: the above are witness accounts and experiences extracted from different WhatsApp groups.
References

Babatunde, F. (2023). EU EOM Report: Challenges and achievements of Nigeria’s 2023 general elections.

Dataphyte. https://www.dataphyte.com/latest-reports/eu-eom-report-challenges-and-achievements-of-

nigerias-2023-general-elections/

Biriowo, K. (2023). 2023 General elections: Nigeria records 238 violence cases, 24 deaths — Report. Tribune

Online. https://tribuneonlineng.com/2023-general-elections-nigeria-records-238-violence-cases-24-

deaths-report/

Hoffmann, L. K. (2023). Nigeria’s election results put disenfranchisement in the spotlight. Chatham House.

Retrieved September 9, 2023, from https://www.chathamhouse.org/2023/03/nigerias-election-results-

put-disenfranchisement-spotlight

Jaiyeola, T. (2023). How BVAS, IReV failed first election’s stress test. Punch Newspapers.

https://punchng.com/how-bvas-irev-failed-first-elections-stress-

test/#:~:text=Many%20other%20polling%20units%20across,to%20the%20cancellation%20of%20result

s.

Jeremiah, U. (2022). With 11 incidents, Imo tops states with highest attacks on INEC offices. Vanguard News.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/12/with-11-incidents-imo-tops-states-with-highest-attacks-on-inec-

offices/

Nathaniel. (2023). Killings: Labour Party Calls For Election Postponement In Enugu East Senatorial District.

Channels Television. Retrieved September 10, 2023, from

https://www.channelstv.com/2023/02/23/killings-labour-party-calls-for-election-postponement-in-

enugu-east-senatorial-district