By Smith Nwokocha

Welcome Address by the Executive Director of Community Initiative for Enhanced Peace and Development. CIEPD on the Debriefing Meeting Held on 27/06/2023

Dear Royal Fathers, distinguished candidates in the last election from various political, parties, state security actors, non-security state actors, and media personnel, ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you to this debriefing meeting.

I am very grateful to you all for taking time off from your busy schedule to attend this important meeting.

I am especially honored to welcome you all to this meeting. But more especially we want to thank PIND Foundation for collaborating with us on this project- the “Collaborative Election Violence Prevention and Mitigation Project in Rivers State”. We also want to thank the election partners who have been with us through this process- the Community Stakeholders Network (CSN) the Peace Monitors and our Situation Room Partners-ANPEZ and The Peoples Advocate. Not just for being part of the program but for being also present in this meeting.

Our Special thanks also go to the Candidates who signed our peace accord. (Please can you stand up for recognition?) You are our non-violence heros.

Community Initiative for Enhanced Peace and Development (CIEPD) is a Non –governmental, not-for-profit organization duly registered with Corporate Affairs Commission and also has statutory special consultative status with United Nations and also Economic Community of West Africa Commission (ECOWAS). 

The main thrust of CIEPD work is on Peace building and Conflict Prevention. As an organization with a focus on Peace building and conflict Prevention, Election has become equally important to us. The reason being that Elections are key for fostering peace and stability and are often, as a result, one of the central elements of peace deals and transitional political accords.  However, our emphasis has always been on electoral violence while others monitor the electoral process, we focus on electoral violence.  In the 2015 election cycle, CIEPD with its Election partners ANPEZ, The People’s Advocate, and others conducted its first non–violence election program apart from tracking and de-escalation of electoral violence, we produced a verbatim unique report. This was self-funded by CIEPD and its election partners and even since we have not looked back.  That same year we also conducted an election debriefing meeting in Gokana Local Government Area.

With the 2023 election, the Collaborative Election Violence Prevention and Mitigation Project in Rivers State, our activities have been segmented into pre, during, and post-election activities because we don’t see the election as an event.

Of course, everyone sees reason for pre-election activities, it set the tone for D-day which is the election day, and the logic is that if the whole place is engulfed with violence there will not be any D-day for us. So this shows you how important pre–election conflict prevention and mitigation activities are.

For during which is D-day, we all know the importance of a peaceful voting process.

However, in post-election conflict prevention and mitigation activities, I remember a participant we invited to this activity telling me to let bygones be bygones, the election has come and gone, we should let it just go. Apart from de-escalating the incidents that can mar governance, following the announcement of election results, electoral stakeholders should initiate evaluations of the past electoral cycle in order to identify areas that need improvement.  So I call on all security sector agencies, media, and other CSO to join hands with CIEPD in evaluating the infrastructures for peace for subsequent more peaceful elections

Although this meeting may be therapeutic for some – who might want to use this opportunity to vent their anger and frustration with the electoral process (is allowed) but more importantly for us is to evaluate the electoral peace infrastructure and set agenda for a better peace process for the next cycle of the election.

Once again on behalf of the board and management of Community Initiative for Enhanced Peace and Development, we welcome you.

Thank you for coming.

Egondu Esinwoke-Ogbalor

During the Election Debriefing, Barr. Everest Nwankwo said: “The Election took 10 steps forward, but we took 7 steps backward. So, we coming out well. The outcome of the conversation will form an Action Document.

Dr. Joseph Ekong of Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN): He emphasized that CSOs should not work in silo, but we should come together and create a common ground for prompt interventions. collaboration enhances results.

Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Rep.. Mr. Gold Michael gave his Goodwill message and appreciates the Organizers and participants alike.

Foundation For Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta-(PIND) Rep.. There are over 100 languages spoken in the Niger Delta region, there is also large reserves of Natural resources, of course there is Communal tension and conflict because of these resources. PIND appreciates specially CIEPD for gathering Experts, the Media, Security Operatives, trained Peace Monitors that ensure the success of the preceded Election and for inviting INEC, Security Agencies, Citizens and CSOs to deliberate on the Post Electoral circle. PIND will continue to support CIEPD.

Niyi Lawal of CIEPD; The essence of Electoral Debriefing is for experience sharing, particularly about the outcome of the last Election and to share best practices and see how issues arising can be mitigated. While, we listen to the lessons and good news of what happened.

INEC Rep: The PRO from the Public Relations Affairs Department INEC Rivers State. Geraldine, says: “INEC conducted a Peaceful Election in Rivers State, irrespective of the outcome, and the Electoral Tribunal is on going to review the outcome of the preceded General Election.

The Commissioner of Police Rivers State Command, ably represented by the Deputy Public Relations Officer; in his remark, the Nigeria Police Force promise to work together with the Civil Society organizations and INEC, for peaceful elections, while maintaining order and protecting Lives of the citizens inclusive.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), representing the Rivers State Command; the Officer said, Peace is the watchword of the Corp and they will continue to work together with all relevant stakeholders for peaceful elections, during the after election.

NAWOJ (Female Journalists): represented by the National Vice President (Mrs. Lilian Okonkwo-Ogabu) . She appreciates CIEPD for training members of NAWOJ as Peace Monitors for the preceded Election and they observed the Election very well and contributed to the peaceful elections in Rivers State.

Panel Session that had the line up of Panelists made up of Lawyers, Journalists, Civil Rights Activists etc. Barr. Everest Nwankwo, Chief Mrs. Constance Meju, Dr. Prince Eze, Carl Orakwe, Barr. Nsirimovu C. to share their experiences to guide Stakeholders and form part of the Action Document.

Syndicate Session/Group Tasks and presentation among participants and it was an engaging exercise and resourceful. Lastly, the ED of CIEPD gave a sounding vote of thanks, were she appreciates the funders PIND, the Peace Monitors, security agencies, the Media, including People with Special Need (Disabled Community) present at the Electoral Debriefing and of course the participants.