Nigeria has had a grim history of electoral violence since its return to democratic rule in 1999, and with its next elections eight weeks away, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), in partnership with the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding - Nigeria (WANEP-Nigeria), held a workshop on the prevention of electoral violence. The workshop entitled, "Nigeria 2007: Building Blocks for a Peaceful Transition," took place in Abuja, Nigeria, from February 13 to February 15, 2007. Thirty-one participants from civil society organizations representing all six of Nigeria's geo-political zones attended the workshop.

The workshop had three inter-related goals. First, the workshop sought to broaden participants' knowledge of the factors that trigger electoral violence and the opportunities that exist for reducing tension during elections, through the analyses of both peaceful and troubled transitions in Africa. Second, with exercises in conflict resolution, the workshop endeavored to strengthen the capacity of civil society to prevent conflict in Nigeria's upcoming elections. Finally, USIP and WANEP-Nigeria aimed to strengthen a network of civil society representatives from across Nigeria that shares information on early warning of electoral violence and expertise on reducing tension.

This report describes the structure of the workshop, highlights concerns about the upcoming elections cited by the participants, and outlines participants' recommendations to civil society for the way forward.

Structure of the Workshop

In order to build the participants' capacity to understand the sources and responses to electoral conflict, the workshop combined case studies of actual electoral experiences in Africa with training in conflict resolution skills and a simulation exercise. The case studies included the 2006 elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the 2006 elections in Benin, the 2004 elections in Ghana, and the 1995 and 2000 elections in Cote d'Ivoire. Participants were randomly assigned to small groups to review the details of the cases before reconvening in a plenary session to discuss the broad issues of electoral conflict confronting each country.

The conflict resolution skills training, led by Jacki Wilson of USIP's Training program, included communication skills, negotiation techniques, problem-solving frameworks, and conflict styles. Through a series of exercises, these modules aimed to develop both individual and organizational capacities for conceptualizing issues more effectively, applying appropriate approaches to resolving problems, and negotiating more successfully. As much as possible, the exercises were rooted in the realities confronting the participants in their daily work. Thus, the narratives used for problem solving and negotiation skills training were a composite of concerns that participants submitted at the start of the workshop.

At the end of the workshop, a simulation exercise allowed participants to apply their knowledge of managing electoral violence and conflict resolution skills. The simulation exercise described a fictitious case of electoral conflict that must be resolved before it turned violent. To resolve the electoral conflict, participants were randomly assigned different institutional, political, and society roles. In their roles, the participants were permitted to build coalitions and negotiate deals with other stakeholders before starting mediation sessions and entering into a final agreement to resolve the conflict.

Organizing Violence-Free Elections

A panel discussion on the issues facing Nigeria's electoral process, led by Chukwuemeka Eze, National Network Coordinator for WANEP-Nigeria, and Professor Abdulhameed Ujo, of the University of Abuja, served to frame the discussion and provide recommendations on ensuring free, fair, and peaceful elections. Widespread distrust, fear, and apathy characterize the atmosphere in the lead-up to the elections. Some participants placed the start of much of Nigeria's electoral conflict on the failure of the 2006 constitutional review process, which, sidetracked by the debate of a third presidential term for Olusegun Obasanjo, failed to address the inadequacies of the 2002 Electoral Act. As the electoral process advances, many doubt the integrity of the voters registry; question the impartiality of government institutions-especially the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), charged with organizing the April elections; and increasingly believe that politicians will attempt to secure victory through intimidation, violence, and rigging.

Discussions on the current political climate revealed the low expectations for free, fair, and peaceful elections. Many worried about the impact of "political godfathers" on the electoral process, the mobilization of the youth for violence, and the escalating insecurity in the Niger Delta region. In a number of states, non-compliance with the wishes of the godfather has resulted in violent acts. In many cases, politicians hired armed youth to exact retribution on their opponents. Armed youth are particularly problematic in the Niger Delta, where militia groups have been involved in high-profile kidnappings of oil-industry employees and other foreign workers in a bid to pressure the federal government to increase its development efforts there. The Niger Delta produces approximately 85 percent of Nigeria's foreign revenue, but it remains among the poorest regions of the country. The main militia group in the Niger Delta, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), has grown increasingly more active to bring attention to the region's plight.

Institutional Weaknesses

Many viewed INEC as biased, ineffective, and a contributing factor to the pervasive political violence in the country through its actions and inactions. Participants voiced concerns about the registration process, which has suffered from poor credibility from the beginning, starting with the failure of INEC to order sufficient registration machines. Indeed, some anticipated that once INEC sorted the voters list by district units, it would reveal many inaccuracies. Furthermore, the seemingly undue influence of INEC and other government institutions in determining the list of candidates-through investigations of financial corruption and tax evasion-are also raising serious doubts about the integrity of the electoral process. Some participants doubted the impartiality of such national institutions in vetting political candidates. Instead, they feared that the ruling party was using these procedures to secure its victory in the forthcoming elections. One participant suggested that civil society organizations develop a stronger strategy for engaging INEC; otherwise, civil society would be seen as condoning the process.

Equally troubling to participants was the poor relationship between government institutions and civil society organizations. Participants lamented the inaccessibility of government officials, their lack of response to concerns raised by civil society, and the manipulation by government of some civil society organizations. Others agreed that the weaknesses of Nigerian civil society are further exacerbated by the lack of constitutional protection for civil society, the poor financial state of many organizations, and the immaturity of Nigerian institutions, generally.

Recommendations and Next Steps

In order to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections, the civil society representatives emphasized the need to assure the electorate that their vote would be counted, provide adequate security, and work with the media. In the long run, many stressed the need to increase the political independence of national institutions and to start all forms of electoral violence programs early enough for better impact.

Respecting the Vote

Many feared that their votes would not be counted. Due to various rigging schemes, they worried that in some polling stations, results would not reflect the true desires of the electorate. To ensure that votes are respected, participants stressed the importance of building a stronger partnership and engagement with government officials - particularly with INEC. For example, one participant urged civil society organizations to take advantage of the newly created civil society desk at INEC. Another participant advised civil society organizations to directly demand the voting procedures from INEC, which have yet to be released. Concurrently, others suggested embarking on a strong voter education campaign to empower the electorate and discourage vote rigging.

Providing Adequate Security

A large number of participants expected violence to occur in some parts of Nigeria. According to some, fears for personal security may discourage voting or prevent election monitors from adequately observing the election. Others also cited the potential confusion at the polls between official police and security guards working for politicians. Thus, many supported the recommendation to clarify the role of police at the polling stations, in particular, and in the elections in general, in order to ensure security during the elections.

Engaging the Media

The participants expressed frustration at their inability to satisfactorily make their concerns heard, specifically about the possible inaccuracies of the voters list. Therefore, participants were urged to tap into their existing connections with the media to relay their apprehensions regarding the electoral process and to help make the process more transparent and accountable to the citizenry.

Immediate Next Steps

In light of the recommendations developed by the participants, they agreed to undertake three tasks immediately:

1. Work with leaders in the religious communities to train election monitors. A constructive partnership with civil society organizations and religious institutions, which wield a heavy influence, may help recruit community members to serve as election monitors and reinforce the message to refrain from violence;
2. Obtain a symbolic pledge by political party leaders to refrain from violence; and
3. Utilize existing media contacts to stimulate political discussions, produce high quality political and electoral analysis, expose rigging, and report violence.

This USIPeace Briefing was written by Dorina Bekoe, senior program officer in the in the Center for Conflict Analysis and Prevention at the United States Institute of Peace. This workshop is part of the project on Political Transitions in Africa, managed by Bekoe at the United States Institute of Peace. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the Institute, which does not advocate specific policies.

The United States Institute of Peace is an independent, nonpartisan institution established and funded by Congress. Its goals are to help prevent and resolve violent international conflicts, promote post-conflict stability and development, and increase conflict management capacity, tools, and intellectual capital worldwide. The Institute does this by empowering others with knowledge, skills, and resources, as well as by directly engaging in peacebuilding efforts around the globe.