Governorship Candidates of various Political Parties in Kano State, Northwest Nigeria have signed a peace agreement as the 2019 General Election approaches.

The Candidates who are concerned with the conduct of the forth coming General Elections converged at Bayero University to append their signatures.

Former Head of State, Abdussalam Abubakar, Secretary General of the United Nations, Muhammad Ibn Chambas, Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sunusi II alongside leaders of Political Parties, clerics and many others were present to witness the event in Kano State.

The move is to engage flag bearers of all Political Parties in Kano to abide by the rules of engagement as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral

Twenty nine gubernatorial candidates out of fifty-four seeking election into the Kano state government house, and the leaders of their respective political parties have resolved to ensure a peaceful conduct of the forthcoming general elections in the state.

Among the candidates who signed the Peace Accord yesterday were the incumbent governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Engr. Abba K. Yusuf of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP).

There are believes that signing of the document would go a long way in bringing sanity into the Polity and among the key political actors and their supporters in the state.

The peace document was signed at the instance of the Kano state peace committee, co-chaired by Professor Emeritus Ibrahim H. Umar and the Catholic Bishop of Kano Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr John Namaza Niyiring.
Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State signs the state’s 2019 budget into law at the Government House Kano yesterday. With him are Deputy Governor Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna (right), Majority Leader, Kano State House of Assembly, Babba Dan Agundi (2nd right), state Attorney- General, Malam Ibrahim Muktar (2nd left), Commissioner of Budget, Hajiya Aisha Jaafaran (1st left) with other government officials

Speaking at the signing of the document, the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II warned the politicians against any act that can lead to destruction of lives and properties before, during and after the elections.

Emphasising the need for all candidates to live by the tenets of the peace document, Sanusi urged the candidates to demilitarise their supporters especially during political rallies, saying without peace there would be no elections.

“Peace is needed before the elections, it is important during the elections and we need peace even after the elections.

“God has forbidden any act that is capable of tampering with human life or his property. Therefore, anyone who shed blood, or on whose account blood was shed, or who allows bloodshed for his personal interest even if he/she is not prosecuted on earth the final judgment awaits him in the hereafter.

“I am calling on all political actors who have signed the Peace Accord and even those who are not here to start by instructing their supporters to lay down arms, and stop attending political events with weapons.

The special representative of the United Nations Secretary General for West Africa and the Sahel, Dr Mohammed Bin Chambas commended the candidates for their resolve for peaceful elections saying the UN would continue to amplify calls by the National Peace Committee for all stakeholders to ensure that issue based political campaigns are conducted across the country.

He further urged the politicians “to avoid hate messages and the politics of acrimony, bitterness and rancour that can undermine peaceful conduct of the elections.”

Chambers expressed concern over fewer women and youth candidates fielded by political parties despite the large number of women voters and enthusiastic youths eager to take part in nation building.

Four female candidates, including Fatima Isa (RP), Hajiya Furera Ahmad (FE), Maimuna Ahmad (UPP) and Halima A. Ahmad (AD) signed the peace accord.

The event was witnessed by the Chairman, National Peace Committee, Gen. Abdulsalami abubakar.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD has
raised fresh alarm that the persistent hate speech on social media is
currently threatening the conduct of the much-awaited 2019 general
elections.

Raising the alarm at its monthly press conference in Kano yesterday,
CITAD Coordinator, Hate Speech Project, Malam Hamza Ibrahim said the
last few months have been alarming as far as the spread of hate
speeches on the social media was concerned, adding that the rise in
ethnic, religious and election-related hate speech points to clear
polarisation and intolerance.

According to him, between October 1 and November 30,  four hundred and
forty three (443)  hate speeches were tracked on Facebook, Twitter,
Websites of conventional and online newspapers and the hate speeches
comprised religious-based, ethnic based, election-related,
farmers-herdsmen based,  Biafra agitation and the host of others.

He however stated that in  October 2018, two hundred and fifty
two(252) hate speeches were captured, out of the number, one hundred
and forty five (145)  were ethnic based, fifty six (56) religious
based, twenty eight(28)  election-related, seventeen(17) Biafra
related, three(3) farmers-herdsmen  (3) , two(2) gender based and one
(1) access to resources related  one.

He pointed out that CITAD had also noted with concern that the volume
of hate speech  in hard  copy newspapers was minimal and that their
websites gave fertile ground for exchange of hate speeches among their
readers  stressing that condoning illegal practice especially in the
media was highly dangerous not only to elections but to national
unity, peace and development.

Centre for Information Technology and Development, CITAD, has condemned the comment made by former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, linking President Muhammadu Buhari with Boko Haram, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, ISIS, Al-qaeda and Al-shabbab.

DAILY NIGERIAN reports that, in the build-up to the February 16 presidential election, Mr Buhari has introduced a four-finger sign to support his re-election bid.

However, on January, Mr Fani-Kayode posted on his Facebook wall, linking the four-finger symbol with a support to the terrorist groups.

In the post, Mr Fani-Kayode said: “The four finger Muslim Brotherhood terrorist Rabia sign that Buhari keeps using is an affront to the Living God and an insult to the millions that have been killed by the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, ISIS, Boko Haram,Al Qaeda and Al Shabab over the decades. God will judge him for it!,”

But, in a press conference on ‘Hate, Dangerous Speech and Fake News in the Ongoing Campaign for the 2019 General Elections’, CITAD described the comment as dangerous and condemnable.

The Coordinator, Curbing Hate and Dangerous Speech Project of CITAD, Hamza Ibrahim, urged Mr Fani-Kayode to urgently withdraw and delete the comments.

The coordinator also cautioned Mr Fani-Kayode to desist from making such insensitive utterances in future, in order to avoid overheating the polity, just as the general elections are fast approaching.

Mr Ibrahim lamented the prevalence of hate speeches by politicians in the state and beyond in the build-up to the general elections.

“While we strongly condemn the hate and dangerous speeches from especially members and followers of APC and PDP, we want the two parties to caution their supporters against engaging in the act as well as other act capable scuttling the peaceful conduct of the elections.

“We want to categorically call on the chairmen of the two major political parties, Uche Secondus of PDP and Adams Oshiomole of APC to be courageous and urge all their followers and members to, in the interest of peace, stay away from hateful and dangerous utterances during the campaign period and after.

“We pass the same message to all governors to join their commissioners, other political appointees and numerous political followers to avoid hate and dangerous speeches,” he said.

He also condemned other inflammatory comments made by Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chairman, Rogo Local Government area of Kano State, and the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Mr Ibrahim also called the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, to be vigilant on their monitoring over hateful and unwanted contents and take necessary actions on radio and television stations that allow such acts.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), a Kano based NGO, has urged the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to ensure effective monitoring of radio and television stations to check hate and unwanted news content as the 2019 general elections draws nearer.

Mr Hamza Ibrahim, CITAD Coordinator, Curbing Hate and Dangerous Speech Project, made the call while addressing newsmen in Kano on Tuesday.

“NBC should be extremely vigilant in their monitoring of hateful and unwanted news content with a view to taking necessary actions on any radio or television station that promote hate and dangerous speech in the country.

“The media should continue to scan their content and stop any hateful and dangerous piece as well as fake news from reaching audience,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the NGO, which is implementing ‘Curbing Hate Speech in Nigeria Project’ for the past four years, is being supported by the MacArthur Foundation.

He, therefore, called all media organisations in the country to always check the authenticity of stories they carried especially now that the 2019 general elections was fast approaching.
“We have noticed that some radio and television stations have continued to allow hate speech either in form of jingles or during live coverage of political rallies, and this has been paving way for another trend of hate speech as the 2019 elections keep approaching,” he said.

He said there was need for the politicians and the two major political parties to caution their followers and supporters against engaging in hate and dangerous speech, as well as fake news creation and circulation.

He said the measure was necessary in view of the fact that such hate and dangerous speech as well as spreading fake news are dangerous and capable of jeopardising the peaceful conduct of the 2019 general elections,“ he said.

By Tukur Muntari

Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has appealed to editors in media houses to control the use of hate speech on their websites to promote national unity.

The centre’s Coordinator, Hate Speech Project, Malam Hamza Ibrahim, made the appeal at a news conference held at the centre in Kano on Wednesday.

He said that the centre had noticed minimal use of hate speech in hard copies of newspapers, yet their websites accommodated them.

“The centre has captured 263 ethnic based hate speeches, 121 religious based hate speeches, 31 elections related hate speeches and 21 Biafra agitation hate speeches in October and November 2018.

“We have recorded 250 hate speeches on Facebook, 175 on Websites of conventional newspapers, 12 on Blogs and six from Twitter,” he said.

The centre however appealed to Newspapers Proprietors of Nigeria (NPAN), to regulate the appearance of hate speech on Newspaper websites.

It also appealed to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to be strict on political jingles which have undertones of hate speeches aired on many stations.

Furthermore, CITAD advocated to all media stations to make effective use of the Nigeria Media Code of Elections Report (the 2018 revised edition) as guide against use of hate speech.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that CITAD the support from MacArthur Foundation has been monitoring and countering hate speeches on media platforms since 2014.

A Kano based Non Governmental Organisation, Centre for Information Technology and Development, has advised Online Newspapers to regulate their sites against hate speeches.

Malam Hamza Ibrahim, the spokesperson of CITAD gave the advice on Wednesday at a media briefing organised by the association in Kano.

According to Ibrahim, the organisation has tracked 175 hate speeches on the social media for the month of June which were used at various platforms.

He said that about 28 per cent of the recorded speeches were religious based while 36 per cent were tribal based and 1.7 percent was politically motivated.

He said: “The languages used for the hate speeches in May as we monitored were English and pidgin.”

The CITAD spokesman however, appealed to traditional and religious leaders at different capacities to create avenues of sentisitising and cautioning people against hate speeches.

Ibrahim described hate speeches as “anti peace and anti development’ which people must avoid.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that CITAD in partnership with MacArthur Foundation had been monitoring and countering hate speeches on media platforms since 2014.

The Center for Information Technology and Development, CITAD, said it has sadly noticed fake pictures of Nigerian military officers in circulation, especially on social media platforms.

According to the centre, the now viral image shows two gentlemen in Nigerian military uniform, one is dead while the other is loudly crying.

The image was said to have emerged from a scene during the recent attack on troops under the 157 Task Force Battalion at Metele in Guzamala Local Government of Borno state on 18th November, 2018.

In a statement signed and made available to newsmen by its Hate Speech Project Coordinator, Hamza Ibrahim, CITAD said it “did observe that the picture is receiving attention of Nigerians on Twitter, Facebook, WhatApps, etc by especially giving the impression that it originated from the Metele attack on Nigerian troops.

“As an organization that implements a project on Hate Speech and Fake News and also does research on the concepts, CITAD wants to emphasize here, that, the picture is fake, and is not in any way connected with Metele incident.

“Unlike what its circulators claim, the picture originated from a Hausa Movie called “Abu Hassan”, where two friends “Adam A. Zango and Zahraddin Sani”, were dramatically involved in a gunfight with their antagonists, Adam A. Zango had in the movie died having been shot several times and Zahraddin Sani, being a friend and colleague was madly screaming in sympathy.

“The movie produced by Zahraddin Sani and directed by Alfazazi (a Kaduna-based film maker) was released in 2016. But, fake news disseminators are now using that scene to mislead people into believing it was a reality during Metele incident, that is absolutely false.

“CITAD is hereby drawing the attention of especially the disseminators and the Nigerian public that the picture is fake in totality, and there is need to stop sharing it on whatever medium as that also is sparking another negative discourse. Disseminating fake news in whatever form is injurious to peace and development, as such people should shun doing it.

“We equally want to caution people against sharing fake news, particularly at this time of electioneering; before sharing any information, people should interrogate its authenticity.

Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has appealed to the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Prince Uche Secondus, to caution their party faithful to desist from dangerous and hateful speeches during campaigns, saying doing that could truncate the peaceful conduct of the forthcoming general elections.

The centre noted some comments attributed to the Kano state APC chairman Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas and those of PDP chairman, Rogo local government area of the state as well as the NUTW chairman, Oshodi, Lagos state, describing the comments as real threat to the elections.

Addressing journalists in Kano on Tuesday, the coordinator, curbing hate and dangerous speech project, CITAD, Malam Hamza Ibrahim said since the campaigns started about a month back, the centre had observed a growing number of hateful and dangerous speeches by politicians at different political gatherings.

He said, “In the past few weeks we have documented phrases statements such as ‘Tsinsiya tsiyace’ by PDP chairman, Rogo local government, Kano state, (meaning APC is evil); ‘Koda tsiya, koda tsiya-tsiya sai munci zabe’ by Hon. Abdullahi Abbas, APC chairman Kano state (meaning whether in trouble or chaos we must win); ‘I will deliver Oshodi for Sanwo-Olu if PDP like it or not, we are ready if they bring 100 guns we will bring 200 guns and bomb. We are going to kill those who will not vote for Sanwo-Olu in this Oshodi’ by NURTW Chairman, Oshodi Lagos state.”

Ibrahim said condoning hate and dangerous speech as well as fake news in the build up to the much anticipated elections was not only threatening to the conduct of the elections, but the experience after.

He appealed to the politicians to exercise restraints in their utterances so as not to set the country on flames.

PREAMBLE

On January 15, 2018, the Social Influencers Cluster on Deepening Anti-Corruption and Spreading Accountability led by the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) and supported by MacArthur Foundation held it First quarter meeting. The participants were sub grantees working on anti-corruption and accountability project. Over 20 Social Influencers took turns at the meeting to speak on their experience on the project on anti-corruption and accountability. The meeting which held at Newton Park, Abuja allowed members of the cluster to review their work and reflect on the uptake of accountability and anti-corruption issues in the current campaigns by political parties for the 2019 General Election.

OBSERVATIONS

1. Participants noted with dismay that corruption has remained a major development challenge  in the country in spites of the efforts by all
2. That current campaigns by the major political parities are enmeshed in corrupt practices such as buying delegates, buying of PVCs, arbitrary replacement of candidates, etc
3. That parties are yet to come up with clear frameworks and strategies for deepening anti-corruption and spreading accountability  in the post-election period
4. That intrigues, competition and political calculations have rendered the government anti-corruption agenda ineffective,
5. That citizens are still largely onlookers for a fight that should be their

COMMITMENTS

The members of the Cluster reiterated their commitment to deploy creative and innovative strategies to campaign for the mainstreaming of anti-corruption and accountability issues in the electioneering campaign and in enabling citizens to hold elected governments accountable. In particular, the cluster members shall continue to work in their various spheres to:

• Sensitize and mobilize citizens to take anti-corruption struggle as theirs and therefore demand to play active role in it
• Create more opportunities for multiplying the grassroots voices against corruption and placing them before the table of candidates and their political parties especially
• Create avenues for candidates and parties to explain their strategies to the electorates on how they intend to tackle corruption and improve on accountability if elected
• To engage with all anti-corruption agencies and authorities in the country with a view to getting them to be more proactive, more effective, efficient and more rooted in in rule of law in the investigation and prosecution of proven cases of corruption
• To continue to monitor and provide evidence-based documentation about the impact of corruption on the lives of citizens as means for advocacy and engagement with other stakeholders

RECOMMENDATIONS

Participants agreed to the following recommendations”

1. That there is need for transparency in the prosecution of the Federal Government anti-corruption agenda
2. That all state governments that do not have state level anti-corruption agencies should do
3. That as part of the oversight function of the National Assembly, should have a robust and clear anti-corruption mechanism that will investigate and report corruption practices in the ministries, departments and agencies they oversight to relevant anti-corruption agencies
4. That there is need for inter-agency cooperation and coordination in the fight against corruption at all levels
5. That political parties should come out with clear anti-corruption strategies for the country
6. That political parties and candidates should make their themselves available to citizens’ forums to explain their manifestoes, especially aspects dealing with anti-corruption and promoting accountability
7. That civil society groups are urged to document campaign promises of candidates and parties with a view to using these as benchmarks for holding elected persons accountable in the post elections period
8. That parties and candidates are urged to focus on issues in their campaign than personality
9. That electorates are urged to carefully  scrutinize the manifestoes of the various parties and the candidates and make informed judgment on election days

CITAD: Dr. Tunde Misbahu Akanni (CITAD)

Danlami Nmodu (Social Influencer)

Ayo Obe (Social Influencer)

Richard Akinnola (Social Influencer)

INTRODUCTION

For over many decades, corruption has become the most destructive phenomenon which wearies away the economic growth and development of the entire Nigerian state. Corruption has penetrated to all levels of starting from the wards in local government areas and up to the federal level of government. Similarly, Nigeria is a state that is blessed with all forms   of resources including land, human and natural resources that could place the state in the top countries of the world and compete with first world countries. Unfortunately, the persistent political corruption and lack accountability in Nigeria have kept Nigeria backward with excessive embezzlement of public fund by political officers, election rigging, bribery etc in all sectors including health, security and education.

Fighting corruption and promoting accountability therefore is collective and a task for all. To discharge their responsibilities in line with this postulations, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), with support from MacArthur Foundation started implementing a project titled “Anti-corruption and Accountability,” where CITAD is working with 26 social influencers who use the influence especially on social media and other media outlet to influence citizens in Nigeria to stand against corruption and advocate for accountability at all level of government.

On January 15, 2018, the Social Influencers Cluster on Deepening Anti-Corruption and Spreading Accountability led by the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) and supported by MacArthur Foundation held it First quarter meeting. The participants were sub grantees working on anti-corruption and accountability project. Over 20 Social Influencers took turns at the meeting to speak on their experience on the project on anti-corruption and accountability. The meeting which held at Newton Park, Abuja allowed members of the cluster to review their work and reflect on the uptake of accountability and anti-corruption issues in the current campaigns by political parties for the 2019 General Election.

While giving an opening remarks at the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Tunde Misbahu Akanni who chaired the meeting, harped on the need for members of the cluster to adhere to the deadlines for the submission of quarterly reports, as such delays hamper the prompt release of subsequent tranches of funds.

This point was further adumbrated by Dayo Olaide, the representative of MacArthur Foundation, Dayo Olaide during general discussion who stressed on the importance of prompt filling of reports. He also emphasized the need for sub-grantees to avoid the issue of conflict of interests in the course of their work particularly as we approach the general election.

ACTIVITIES DURING THE MEETING

The Meeting was divided into three segments.

1^ST SEGMENT:

The first segment consisted of presentations; one on “Understanding the Human Cost of Conflict and Corruption in Nigeria,” by Chris Kwaja of Centre for Peace and Security Studies, Modibbo Adama University of Technology Yola, Adamawa State. In his presentation, Chris Kwaja explained that despite the victimhood associated with their experiences with conflicts, many Nigerians lack the power to exercise their civic rights in relations to the demand for accountability and transparency as it relates to conflict related responses by state and non-state actors. He lamented that Corruption has become a dominant features of responses by these actors – monies appropriated, distributed and used under the guise of conflict related interventions are mis-applied, mis-used or stolen through official and unofficial means.

In his presentation, Kwaja also explained how corruption has killed Nigeria to a bottom line. He stated that corruption erodes public trust on the state and its institutions, thereby perpetuating a regime of impunity. Similarly, citizens are cut off from knowledge of what happens to the monies meant to address their problems, leading to social tension (Boko Haram emerged because the state is ‘corrupt’). In the eyes of the citizens, the state is also perceived as corrupt in way it allocates and uses resources to fight Boko Haram).

At the end of his presentation, he opined that empowering communities to demand social accountability through the availability of information as well as the right communication tools and channel for combating corruption is imperative and a collective responsibility. Another important point he made was to train key community actors on the monitoring and tracking of the distribution of budgeted funds and relief materials

The second presentation was on “Creativity in the Fight against Corruption” by one of the subgrantees, Diego Odoh Okenyedo (Splendors of Dawn), who uses creativity in poetry to deepen anti-corruption and spread accountability. Diego explained that creativity such as in Drama and poetry could be used to send messages on anticorruption and accountability in an entertaining manner. Citizens including young people as well as political officers could be connected with anticorruption and the need for accountability and transparency through poetry, pop culture, stage drama etc. This could be done by using imagination of original ideas to create messages on anticorruption and accountability. He explained that key elements in doing that involved associating by drawing connections between questions, problems or ideas from unrelated field; question by  posing queries that challenge common wisdoms, observing by identifying new ways of doing things, networking by meeting people wth different ideas and perspectives and lastly; experimenting by constructing interactive experiences and provoking responses to see new insights.

2^ND SEGMENT 2:

The Second segments consisted of issues relating to the activities implemented by each sub-grantee. 21 social influencers attended the meeting and shared their experiences on their various activities and their challenges. The activities carried out by the social influencers in the first quarter included poetry, documentary, drama, journals, radio programme, online news updates, daily tweets and researches etc.

Challenges as shared by the social influencers include:

• Getting across to the politicians and political stakeholders.
• People are not willing to engage themselves in matters that concerns their rights.
• People challenge some of the social influencers thinking that they are not neutral and or were being paid by some politicians to carry out the activities.
• Physical threats from people against some staff who went to public areas for shooting.
• Some Sub grantees made known that the project has been yielding positive results.
• In some locations in Nigeria no much is been said on anti-corruption and accountability, citizens in that region talk more on insecurity which is a challenge.
• The issue of feedback from the citizens is a challenge.

In this segment also, the CITAD team discussed on how to properly prepare report and retirement for each quarter. Aliyu Dahiru Aliyu who is the M&E officer, Spoke from the monitoring and evaluation perspectives and stated some guidelines on how to properly meet all its requirement. Maryam Ado Haruna, the programme officer also explained the guidelines needed to be followed while filling the quarterly narrative form. She also stated that there is need for monthly update of each sub-grantees activities, adding that a timetable would be developed and sent to them to know when they need to submit any required document. This was to enable timely submissions on time and avoid unnecessary delays as experienced in the first quarter. Abubakar Yusuf Auyo, the project accountant also stated requirements for the financial report including supporting documents of all transaction made with the project fund.

3^RD SEGMENT:

In the third segment which was the last segment, consisted of general discussion and observation on corruption in Nigeria. The outcomes were:

• The participants discussed that People on the ground who are directly affected by the conflict in the North East can sometimes see the international agencies themselves as beneficiaries of the insurgency and feel that they themselves do not always meet the highest accountability standards.
• Similarly, there is a backlash against those working on accountability issues when it come s to the fight against the insurgency in the North East or the provision of humanitarian aid.
• Again, the issue of production of fake news has aided toward deepening corruption in Nigeria.
• At the end of the meeting, the communique drafted during the meeting was presented and was signed by CITAD and the social influencers.
• It is important to collaborate with other social media influencers working on the anticorruption project, in the print media, the performing art and other socially conscious CSOs.
• Many Nigerians lack the power to exercise their civic rights in relations to the demand for accountability and transparency as it relates to conflict related responses by state and non-state actors.
• The Nigeria’s security sector remains one of the most visible actor in the country’s conflict landscape
• Security funds are outside the budget and financial reporting systems (they don’t account to anyone about how such funds were spent.
• The issue of diversion of relief materials by aid workers, government officials and diversion of humanitarian funds through fraudulent contracts
• There is practice of classified expenditure under the guide of security votes, which end up as slush funds that are spent without any iota of accountability.