The General Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee Friday expressed concern at the conduct of political actors ahead of next month’s elections.
Abubakar said the political class seems not to have learnt any lessons from the past.
The former military head of state spoke during a one-day roundtable meeting his committee had with the leadership of the nation’s 18 registered political parties and their presidential candidates.
Abdulsalami who was in the company of his co-convener, Bishop Mathew Kukah and the Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammed Sa’aad, said
“Nigerians are genuinely concerned, troubled and disappointed by the conduct and attitude of some of the political actors in the last few weeks. Nigerians have been fed a menu of intemperate language, intimidation and outright violence in the field of the campaigns.”
He further said:”It is evident that some of our actors have not learnt any lessons from the past. There is an increasing tone of desperation, if not incitement, among some of the contestants and members of their parties.
“Intra and inter-party wrangling persist, with occasions of violence. In desperation, some selfish political actors use these strategies to pursue their frivolous ambitions in the courts.”
He reminded the political leaders that the peace accord decently signed by party chairmen was binding on them, adding that they were also expected to have infused a sense of decency, civility and nobility in their political process.
“The political actors cannot pretend to be oblivious of the content of the Peace Accord that they signed. Nigerians expect that as men and women of honour, they were committed to keeping their word.”
On thr roundtable meeting, the former military leader said: “The purpose of this initiative by the Peace Committee is to build up the confidence of our people in the electoral process and to ensure that we do all that is possible to ensure that these very crucial elections are successful.
“We intend to hear from the presidential aspirants themselves and see how we can rally all our people to ensure that all citizens can elect the leaders of their choice.
“It is impossible to have all contestants in one room and so, we hope that whatever we discuss here affects all contestants in these elections,” the NPC Chairman said.
He recalled that on the 29th of September 2022, the committee invited them to the signing the Peace Accord at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.
He said: “You may also recall that we placed advertisements in all major newspapers and social media calling on all Presidential candidates to be mindful of the concerns of Nigerians, on such issues are the need to use temperate language, avoid raising the tone of violence and to conduct themselves in a manner that does not undermine the electoral process.”
He said that the meeting was not to listen to accusations and counter-accusations, neither was it to trade blame but to raise issues and concerns so that the forum can explore the best means of resolving the concerns.
He appealed to them to “be moderate in your language, show respect to the views and concerns of one another and listen to the concerns expressed. We are not here to find out who is wrong, but what is wrong and to see how to correct it.
“We are pleased that there are measurable improvements and that INEC is assuring us that it has resolved some of the areas that have often caused violence.
“The security agencies have also continued to give us assurances. We hope that you can raise your areas of concern and let us see what can be done to instill confidence in this process,” he said.
Presidential candidates at the meeting included Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of All Progressives Congress (APC); Dr. Ifeanyu Okowa, vice presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP); Al-Mustapha Hamza of Action Alliance (AA); Sowore Omoyele; Sani Yabagi Yusuf, Action Democratic Party (ADP); and Dr. Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Mr. Festus Okoye stood in for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the meeting.
