Former Military Head of State and Chairman of the National Peace Committee, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.) on Thursday, March 16, called for peace in the coming governorship and house of assembly election.
Abdulsalami who disclosed that the organization has been following up with the same appeal that it made ahead of the presidential elections on February 25, 2023, also stated that the call for peace was necessitated by the open threats of intimidation and violence by certain elements within the society who are using ethnic and religious labels to achieve their intentions of voter suppression.
He said;
“The Presidential elections have come and gone. However, problems have arisen from the process of the collation, transmission and release of the final results. This has generated the crisis that we now find ourselves. Notwithstanding all this, we are pleased and encouraged by the matured attitudes of the candidates who contested the presidential election.
“We are encouraged by the restraint they have exhibited and their commitment to seek justice through due process. This is in keeping with the spirit of the Peace Accord. We therefore appeal to supporters of all the parties and our citizens to please follow the good example of their leaders and remain law abiding till the process is brought to an end.
“This weekend, on March 18 2023, the second round of elections for the Governorship and State Assemblies will be conducted. We are worried by the open threats of intimidation and violence by certain elements within the society who are using ethnic and religious labels to achieve their intentions of voter suppression.
“We appeal to the security and law enforcement agencies to remain alert and to bring to book, anyone, no matter their position in society, who poses a threat to the peaceful conduct of the elections. We encourage all citizens not to be intimidated and to go out and exercise their God given rights.”
Abdulsalami also asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to do everything possible to ensure that the elections are peaceful so as to gain the confidence of citizens.