JDPMC 2024 Annual Report
This report reflects JDPMCs strategies and intervention in the year 2024 across all Programmes.
This report reflects JDPMCs strategies and intervention in the year 2024 across all Programmes.
Justice, Development and Peace Makers’ Centre (JDPMC), Osogbo is a registered Faith-based, Charity, Non-Governmental, Non-Political, and Not–for-profit Organization established according to the mandate of the Vatican’s Department of Church and Society of the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo. It carries out the prophetic mission of the Church in the world through the social transformation of the society without any bias to race, gender, religion, tongue and colour.
The Justice and Human Rights Department of the Organisation focuses on the promotion of fundamental human rights through the Championing of legal reforms, defense of vulnerable persons and human rights education. As part of its activities to mark the 2020 Annual Human Rights Day, the Department is organizing an on air panel session to discuss the appearing problem of human rights violation in Nigeria in relation to civil protests.
We therefore write to respectfully invite you to the programme coming up as follows:
Topic: Human Rights in the light of Civil Protest in Nigeria.
Date: 10th day of November, 2020
Time: 1-2pm.
Venue: Rave Fm, Agunbelewo, Osogbo.
While thanking you for your consideration and anticipated acceptance, we ask the Lord to bless you with uncommon wisdom and keep you safe at all times.
A prominent faith-based and non-governmental organization in Osun state popularly known as Justice Development and Peace Makers’ Centre (JDPMC), Osogbo has advocated for the swift Justice over an alleged rape case of 13-year old girl (name withheld) in Ilesa, Osun state by her grandparents’tenant who was identified as Adedeji Adetunji.
The victim, who lived with her grandparents upon the death of her mother and abandonment by her father, reported the incident to her grandparents the very first time the alleged rapist took advantage of her. However, due to perceived financial implications of prosecution of cases and lack of information about structures that could defend fundamental rights of people especially indigent persons, the old and poor grandparents could not report the matter but only action taken by the victim’s grandparents in 2019 when the suspect first committed the offence was to insist that the rapist signed an undertaken never to abuse the victim again but contrary to the undertaken signed by the rapist, he continued with his evil act.
It was reported by the victim that the suspect had been serially violating her by covering her face before taking her to his room where he usually raped her and threatened to kill her if she ever told anybody. She further stated that the suspect always monitored her grandparent’s movement and took advantage of her grandparents’ absence to carry out the dastardly mission.
This had been lingered on until the situation assumed a different dimension on the 2nd of February 2020 when the victim took a bold step to confide in someone, who later enlightened and informed the grandparents of the victim of structures available for the protection of fundamental rights for no cost.
Following this development, it was gathered that the suspect was arrested and arraigned before Justice Adesayo of the Magistrate court 2 in Ilesha, Osun state. The alleged rapist however pleaded not guilty.
Reacting to the development, the Legal Aid Officer of the JDPMC; Barrister Onoja Veronica assured Nigerians, most importantly the family of the Victim that Justice would not be perverted but rather duly served as the Organization was committed to the case and had channeled the matter to the appropriate quarters for necessary actions.
“It has become obvious that some people are enemies of the future of our community because they have made it their goal to destroy the proper development of children who are our future. Hence, all hands must be on deck to protect our children (especially our girls) from these bad elements by teaching our children basic protection strategies and speaking out against such persons. On the part of JDPMC, we shall ensure justice is done and the perpetrator punished accordingly,” She affirmed.
Meanwhile case has been adjourned to 21st of May, 2020.
A media doyen who is also the Chief Executive Officer of a popular radio station ‘Rave fm’ in Osogbo, Osun State, Mr.Femi Adefila and the Director of Social Communications Commission of the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo, Rev.Fr. Francis Idowu have charged the Federal Government to desist from pursuing the cause of criminalizing hate speech but rather pay attention to the people’s cry and yearning. Read more
INTRODUCTION
Justice Development and Peace Makers Centre (JDPMC) considered the September 2018 Osun governorship election to be fundamental to the evolution of democracy and social development in Osun State and Nigeria as a whole. Our observation of the election therefore was undertaken with the conviction that the gubernatorial election is a major indicator for measuring the socio-democratic situation of Osun and Nigeria.
As a Civil Society Organization, JDPMC’s participation in the electoral processes covered assessment of the pre-election activities of INEC as the election umpire, the state security agencies, various institutions of the state and federal government, political parties and the 48 gubernatorial candidates as well as the electorate during the period. The intent was to ascertain how they meet compliance and performance expectations under the relevant laws regulating their engagement in the electoral processes. The Organization specially carried out Campaign Finance Monitoring in Partnership with the International Institute for Electoral System (IFES). The goal was to track and share our findings on the compliance of the three major parties- APC, SDP, PDP with the provisions of the electoral law regulating campaign funding and the use of State Administrative Resources. We also carried out voter’s education in partnership with MISEREOR- Germany to encourage lawful participation of the citizens in the electoral process. Finally, we collaborated with various credible CSOs in organizing various activities including the gubernatorial candidates’ pre-election debates.
ELECTION OBSERVATION PROCESS OF JUSTICE, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE MAKERS’ CENTRE, OSOGBO
Accredited to observe the election in all the 30 LGAs of the state with 30 accredited observers, Justice Development and Peace Makers Centre trained and deployed 30 observers to all the 30 LGAs of Osun State in order to gather first-hand information on the main election proceedings of 22nd of September, 2018 in randomly sampled 120 wards, and 350 polling units across the State with a followed up the process up to each of to the 30 LG Collation Centre. Two key Observers followed up the process from the LGs to the State up till the announcement of the result by the Returning Officer of the Election. The process was guided by a checklist which was designed to track important information that has to do with the general administration of election, conduct of electoral umpire on Election Day; the conducts of the electorates, the performance of various institutions of the government, the state security as well as the conducts of the political parties on the Election Day.
Objectives of the JDPMC Election Observation
The Observation had the following objectives
Indicators used to observe the general conduct of election by our observers are stated below
On the Election Day, it was observed that about 98% of the total polling units opened before 8am. At Ward 5, polling Unit 3 in Irewole LGA, the INEC officials even arrived before 7am. The INEC officials were seen at the polling unit setting up of election materials to be used. They were also seen pasting voters registers and the polling unit information on the walls of the polling Centres. It was also obser
ved that the election materials were properly packaged and intact as the INEC officials showed the observers and party agents the state of the materials before opening them. Party agents were satisfied. It was reported in some polling units like Ward 5 PU 8 in Odo-Otin LGA, Ward 5 PU 5 in Ilesa West LGA and Ward 2 PU 7 in Ejigbo LGA that election materials provided were more than the numbers of registered voters while in Ward 7 PU 12, the election materials were below the number of registered voters.
The polling unit set up in terms of arrangement of election materials in majority of the voting centres visited was well arranged. We observed that 41 of the polling units where we deployed observers were divided into 2 voting point because of the numbers of voters at the polling unit. For instance at Ward 5 PU5 in Ilesa East LGA, the polling unit was divided into two voting points because the number of voters at that Polling unit was more than 500. The entire polling units were demarcated using rope in order to restrict frivolous movement of voters. The ballot box was also placed in full view of the public in close vicinity to the voting cubicle, this enhanced secrecy of voting. But in many polling units in Ede North LGA, the ballot box was placed far away from the cubicle where voters vote as against INEC instruction which earlier stated that the cubicle must not be far away from the ballot box. Minimum of three INEC officials were seen at different polling units across the state. They were seen explaining the voting process to the electorate before the commencement of the election in the entire polling unit.
In most of the polling units across the state, accreditation of voters commenced at exactly 8am. There were few cases of omission of voter’s name on the voters register. This occurred in Ward 2 PU7 in Ejigbo LGA. Inability of Card reader to read the PVC and authenticate some electorates was also recorded in few LGA like Ward 5 PU 5 in Ilesa East, Ward 5 PU001 in Boripe LGA. The process of voting and accreditation went smoothly in most of the polling unit visited by our observers across the 30 LGAs in the State and INEC officials conducted themselves in an orderly manner. However, there were few cases in which the arrangement of ballot box and the cubicle were not in line with INEC’s directives which stated that the cubicle must not be far away from the ballot box in order to prevent vote buying. This was however prevalent in almost all the polling units in Ede North LGA.
There were many cases of vote buying at various polling units across the state although they are not immediately obvious. Tallies and other means of identification were used to exchange money in designated locations that were mostly at least 300 meters away from the polling stations. There were also secret discussions among different groups during voting which eventually promoted vote buying during the election. It was alleged by locals that the amount used in buying the vote vary from each polling units to another and also depended on the negotiating power of anyone who desires to sell the vote and the party who wish to buy vote. It was also alleged by locals at Ward 5 PU 1 in Boripe Local Government, some party agents were sharing #2,000 to the electorates who wished to vote for them and #3,000 to registered party members while agents of other major parties shared #1,000 to anyone who wished to vote for them. At Ward 10, PU 10 in Egbedore Local Government, our observer confirmed that electronic transfer of #2,000 was done by some party agents to some voters who voted for their candidate.
The counting of the ballot papers were sorted according to the political parties voted by the voters. And the results were publicly announced by the Presiding Officer at the entire polling unit. Moreso, political party agents also appended their signatures on the result sheets and the result was pasted on the wall for the public to see at different polling units. There was 100% agreement of party agents with the results at the polling units.
Early in the morning, the voters were seen going to their different poling units to vote. Electorates conducted themselves in an orderly manner in most of the polling units observed. The peaceful conduct of the electorates made the election to be adjudged to be the most peaceful elections had in the recent time. There was 100 % compliance in all polling units that we deployed observers to the new regulation of INEC on the non-use of phone or camera at the voting cubicle.
Most of the political parties agents present at the polling units were calm except that many of them contributed to the vote buying process. In some polling units in Ede, many agents were seated close to the ballot boxes in order for them to know who actually voted for their party for them to give returns.
98% of the Security agents generally conducted their affairs with high sense of integrity. They did not interfere in the process and ensured security of polling officials, materials as well as the voters and the vicinity of the polling stations and collation centres.
OSUN RE-RUN ELECTION HELD ON THE 27TH OF SEPTEMBER, 2018
The Re-run election of Osun State was held in 7 polling units across three LGAs on the 27th of September, 2018. The LGAs where the re-run elections were held include: Ife North, Ife South, Orolu and Osogbo. The supplementary election was held as the result of irregularities such as ballot box snatching by thugs in some polling units, abscondment of the presiding officer, the number of votes was more than the accredited voters.
Despite the fact that the polling units were opened before 7am in most of the 7 polling units, the total conduct of the exercise was not peaceful like the earlier election held on the 22nd of September, 2018. 8 observers were deployed by JDPMC. Our observers were able to observe at Ward 8 Kajola village, PU 001, Ward PU 004, all in Orolu LGA, Olode Ward 7 PU 012 in Ifetedo LGA. It was generally characterized by violent intimidation of voters. Hoodlums attacked supporters of rival parties in Orolu and Ife North LGAs. Most of the deployed observers accredited under various organizations were prevented from performing their functions mainly by security agents who either made frivolous demands or hoodlums who attacked them both in Orolu and Ife North LGAs, as such most of the activities were shrouded in secrecy between the polling officials, security agents and thugs of political party that had control of certain polling stations. Where observers and media agents were allowed, the party thugs limited their activities with certain restrictions under threats. Security personnel were considered to be partisan either by their selective treating of violators of electoral laws or their passivity or slow reaction to threats and violence unleashed on voters, party supporters, observers and the media. Many observers and media could not wait for the counting of the votes in the polling units due to security threats as their presence seemed to be unwelcomed by dominating party agents.
The supplementary election was adjudged to be one of the worse elections conducted in the recent time that is found to be far below the international standard.
OUR GENERAL OBSERVATION ON THE ELECTION HELD ON THE 22ND SEPTEMBER, 2018.
During the course of observing the election and the supplementary, we observed the following:
OUR GENERAL OBSERVATION ON THE RE-RUN ELECTION HELD ON THE 27TH SEPTEMBER, 2018.
During the re-run election that was held in 7 polling units in the 3 LGAs, the following observations were made:
OUR CONCERNS AND RECOMMENDATION
Following the above reports on the two elections across the 30 LGAs of the State including the area office, these are our concerns and recommendations:
Thank you.