Nigeria: hreats of Violence, Intimidation Worry Nat’l Peace Committee

Ahead of tomorrow’s governorship and State Assembly elections, the National Peace Committee, NPC, has expressed concerns over what it described as 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.

Consequently, the committee tasked security and law enforcement agencies to remain on the alert and bring to book anyone, no matter how highly placed in the society, who posed a threat to the peaceful conduct of the elections.

The committee encouraged all citizens not to be intimidated by the threats, insisting that they must go out and exercise their God-given rights.

In a statement issued yesterday by the chairman and former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, retd, the committee commended the presidential candidates of the Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi and his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, counterpart, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for seeking legal redress, following the problems that arose from the process of the collation, transmission and release of the final results.

While noting that it was pleased and encouraged by the matured attitudes of the candidates who contested the presidential elections, the committee said it was encouraged by the restraint both presidential candidates had exhibited and their commitment to seek justice through due process.

The statement read: “We are following up with the same appeal that we made ahead of the presidential elections on February 25, 2023. We at the peace committee understand and appreciate that these are trying times for our country and its citizens.

“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 we now find ourselves.

“Notwithstanding all these, we are pleased and encouraged by the matured attitudes of the candidates who contested the presidential elections. We are encouraged by the restraint they have exhibited and their commitment to seeking 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 a 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 security and law enforcement agencies to remain alert and bring to book anyone, no matter his/her 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.

“Finally, we at the Peace Committee wish to thank all our peace-loving citizens. We thank the security agencies and pray that INEC will do everything possible to ensure that elections are peaceful so as to gain the confidence of citizens.”