The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) has launched an initiative to prevent election-related violence in 24 native authorities areas (LGAs) throughout Akwa Ibom, Delta and Rivers states forward of Nigeria’s 2027 common elections.
The initiative will use early-warning methods, community-based peacebuilding, media engagement, and coordinated responses to establish potential threats and prevent conflicts from escalating.
PIND introduced the initiative at a venture launch and signing ceremony in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, the place it signed Memoranda of Agreement with three civil society organisations to coordinate implementation throughout the states.
The accomplice organisations are Youth for Change Initiative in Akwa Ibom, One Love Community Development and Promotion of Peace Initiative in Delta, and Community Resource Development Foundation in Rivers.
Speaking on behalf of PIND’s Executive Director, Sam Daibo, the organisation’s Peacebuilding Programme Manager, David Udofia, mentioned efforts to prevent election violence should start lengthy earlier than election day.
“Election violence is rarely an isolated event; warning signs often emerge long before voting begins. This initiative will help communities and institutions identify those signals early, share reliable information and coordinate action before tensions escalate into violence,” Mr Udofia mentioned.
He mentioned the venture was non-partisan and aimed to defend lives, strengthen peaceable civic participation and help credible electoral processes by means of native participation, accountable communication and evidence-based responses.
How the initiative will work
According to PIND, the venture will strengthen its Integrated Peace and Development Unit (IPDU) battle early-warning platform by increasing neighborhood reporting networks, bettering the verification and evaluation of incidents, and offering actionable data to peacebuilding organisations, electoral establishments, safety businesses and different stakeholders.
The initiative will even help election-violence situation planning, mediation, dialogue, stakeholder boards, advocacy and peace messaging.
PIND mentioned it deliberate to interact 15 radio and tv stations, alongside digital platforms, to promote conflict-sensitive reporting, counter misinformation and disinformation, and discourage inflammatory narratives that would heighten political tensions.
The intervention will contain neighborhood leaders, girls and youth teams, civil society organisations, media practitioners, electoral establishments and safety businesses.
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Targeted native authorities areas
In Akwa Ibom, the venture will cowl Uyo, Ibeno, Ibesikpo Asutan, Esit Eket, Nsit Ubium, Abak, Ini and Etim Ekpo.
In Delta, the focused areas are Warri North, Warri South, Warri South-West, Ethiope East, Uvwie, Udu, Ughelli North and Ughelli South.
In Rivers, the initiative will cowl Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre, Khana, Eleme, Asari-Toru, Ahoada East and Andoni.
PIND mentioned the states and native authorities areas had been chosen primarily based on proof from its Peace Map and different credible sources, together with historic patterns of electoral violence and rising political and battle dynamics.
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