Guber polls: Open threats of intimidation and violence are worrisome – Abdulsalami

Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (ret.), who is in charge of the National Peace Committee, has condemned reports of threats of violence and intimidation in some states before the governorship and assembly elections on Saturday.

Salami, a former Head of State, said in a statement released in Abuja on Thursday that political leaders should ask their supporters to keep the polls peaceful.

Abdusalami said that the NPC had been following up on the same call it made before the presidential and National Assembly elections on February 25, 2023.

He said, “The elections for the president and the National Assembly are over. But there have been problems with how the final results were collected, sent, and made public. This is what led to the crisis we’re in right now. Despite all of this, we are pleased and encouraged by how mature the candidates for president were. We are glad that they have been calm and are determined to get justice through the right channels. This fits with the idea behind the Peace Accord. So, we ask supporters of all parties and our own people to follow the good example set by their leaders and stay within the law until this process is over.

“This weekend, on March 18, 2023, the second round of elections for the governorship and state Houses of Assembly will be conducted. We are worried by the open threats of intimidation and violence by certain elements within society who are using ethnic and religious labels to achieve their intentions of voters’ 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.”

On behalf of the National Peace Committee, Abubakar expressed gratitude to  peace-loving Nigerians, including  the security agencies.

He prayed that the Independent  National Electoral Commission would do everything possible to ensure that the elections would be peaceful so as to gain the confidence of citizens.

(Vanguard)