Port Harcourt:Abuja The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) has launched a multistakeholder initiative aimed at preventing and mitigating election-related violence in the Niger Delta ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the project will focus on 24 high-risk local government areas in Akwa Ibom, Delta, and Rivers. It will involve real-time risk monitoring, coordinated responses, and responsible media engagement. This initiative is a collaborative effort between PIND and its partners.
Anne Ihugba, PIND Foundation’s Manager of Knowledge Management and Communications, highlighted that a project launch and signing ceremony took place in Port Harcourt. PIND signed agreements with 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 State, establishing a consortium framework for implementation across the three states.
The initiative combines conflict Early Warning and Early Response (EWER), multistakeholder coordination, strategic media engagement, and community-based peacebuilding. It aims to detect risks early, improve information sharing, and support timely action before, during, and after the elections.
Dr. David Udofia, PIND’s Peacebuilding Programme Manager, emphasized the importance of early prevention. He stated that the initiative will help communities identify warning signs of violence, share reliable information, and coordinate action to prevent escalation. The project is non-partisan, focusing on protecting lives, strengthening civic participation, and supporting credible electoral processes.
The initiative will expand PIND’s Integrated Peace and Development Unit (IPDU) conflict early-warning platform by enhancing community-based reporting networks and improving incident verification and analysis. It will also promote election-violence scenario planning, mediation, dialogue, advocacy, and peace messaging.
The project plans to work with 15 radio and television stations and digital platforms to promote conflict-sensitive reporting and counter misinformation. Targeted locations include Uyo, Ibeno, and others in Akwa Ibom; Warri North and others in Delta; and Port Harcourt and others in Rivers. These areas were chosen based on historical patterns of electoral violence and emerging political and conflict dynamics.
PIND’s previous efforts in 2015, 2019, and 2023 electoral cycles have informed this expanded initiative, which will operate before, during, and after the 2027 elections. Consortium partners will begin technical planning and coordinated prevention activities across the three states.