NHRC unveils program to mobilise electorates for 2023 general elections ….Promised to tackle hate speech

By Our Correspondent
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday launches a program, tagged, Mobilising Voters for Elections (MOVE), as the Commission promised to tackled hate speech during the electioneering campaign.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, NHRC Executive Secretary Tony Ojukwu (SAN) said the aim of the commission is to mobilise citizens towards the 2023 general elections with the aim to increasing citizens’ participation in elections thereby infusing integrate human rights principles into the electoral process to ensure access, increase participation and ensure human rights oversight in law enforcement and security before, during and after the elections.
Ojukwu, reveals that the NHRC is establishing a National Hate Speech Register which will monitor and track hate speeches from all platforms across Nigeria and deploy its enforcement mandate on perpetrators.According to him, the Commission will be working with Facebook, Twitter and other platforms to fully establish a monitoring mechanism to achieve it’s objective
He said, “There are those who will willingly pull at Nigeria’s traditional fault lines of religion and tribe in order to advance their own selfish interests. Politicians and their supporters must adopt a responsible way to canvass for votes and energize their supporters.
” Violent attacks that threaten the lives and property of people have been traced to inciteful and hateful remarks. A commonly cited example of this is what happened in Rwanda.”In respect of the upcoming elections, the National Human Rights Commission which has a broad mandate to protect, promote and enforce human rights in Nigeria has initiated the “Mobilising Voters for Election (MOVE)” Project, to promote access, participation and accountability in the 2023 general elections in Nigeria. “The NHRC is establishing a National Hate Speech Register which will monitor and track hate speeches from all platforms across Nigeria and deploy its enforcement mandate on perpetrators. T
“The Commission will be working with Facebook, Twitter and other platforms to fully establish a monitoring mechanism to achieve this objective.”
He further noted that the Commission was moved to initiate this project due to its concern over the rising voter regression and political apathy that has descended into the political landscape since the 2011 general Elections.
 Ojukwu maintains that Statistics available to the Commission reveals that only around 10% of the voting eligible public participated in the 2021 election in Anambra State. The lack of effective voter participation in Elections robs citizens of their fundamental role in a democracy, which is the freedom to choose their representatives. 
He said, the Commission believe that this MOVE project will enable the it to integrate human rights into democracy and as well ensure citizens’ participation in the upcoming 2023 general elections.
 According to him, “”We would be working towards Promoting increased participation of citizens in the voting process through access to permanent voters’ card which will be achieved by conducting high-Level advocacy Outreach to INEC and conducting PVC Collection Campaigns amongst other activities.”Mobilizing electorates and creating awareness on the right to vote and its associated human rights which the Commission intends to achieve by Monitoring the Voting process and carrying out a Voter Mobilization Campaign.”Building partnerships for the integration of human rights on the agenda of political parties and candidates as a measure to building voter confidence and participation. In a bid to achieve this objective, Ojukwu said,  the Commission will develop a Human Rights Agenda for the 2023 Election, Organize High-Level Forum on Human Rights for Political Parties and Candidates and Establish a National Register for Hate Speech. Promoting normative principles and frameworks for human rights oversight of security and law enforcement operations in the elections. The Commission will Develop Guidelines for the Protection of Voters’ Access Principles in Security Operations at Elections and Organize Consultations and Sensitizations for the Nigerian Police Force on the Protection of Voters’ Access Principles at Elections.
Meanwhile, while presenting the MOVE program to the public, the project coordinator, Hilary Ogbonna emphasised that the commission will set up an observatory center in Abuja for feedback mechanism. This, he said is gear towards eradicating voters aparthy which has characterize Nigeria electoral space over the years.