Ahead of the February general elections,
leaders of Nigeria’s major political parties
and their presidential candidates on
Wednesday signed an undertaking to avoid
actions that could promote violence during
and after the polls.
At an event attended by former United
Nations Secretary General, Kofi Anan, and
former Secretary General of the
Commonwealth, Emeka Anyaoku, seven
presidential candidates including
frontrunners, President Goodluck Jonathan
and Muhammadu Buhari, openly spoke
against violence and committed to a
peaceful poll.
Other political parties that signed the non-
violence pact included the Action Alliance,
AA, Alliance for Democracy, AD, United
Democratic Party, UDP, United Progressive
Party, UPP, African Democratic Congress,
ADC, and Hope Democratic Party, HDP.
The event was a rare meeting between Mr.
Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, and Mr. Buhari of the All Progressives
Congress, APC, since public campaign for
the crucial elections began with a flurry of
attacks between the two sides.
The two men shook hands and embraced
after delivering remarks renouncing
violence.
Mr. Jonathan urged politicians to avoid
actions and utterances capable of inflaming
passion among the electorate.
The president said the country must avoid a
repeat of the 2011 post-general elections
which he said was adjudged the best in the
country’s history.
He said the conduct of the election cannot
be blamed for the outbreak of violence since
he even lost in the states were clashes
erupted leading to hundreds of deaths.
Mr. Jonathan drew attention to the murder
of 10 members of the National Youth
Service Corps, NYSC, in Bauchi State and the
killings in Kano State even when the PDP
lost the presidential election in the two
states.
“You cannot say there were malpractices
because in Kano, we got only 15 percent of
the votes. In Bauchi, I got 15 percent of the
votes. Even in states where we got 80
percent in places considered as opposition,
we did not experience any violence,” Mr.
Jonathan said.
“What leads to violence is not necessarily
due to electoral malpractices. There are
other causes of violence.
“What leads to electoral violence in Nigeria
and other African countries can be
categorized into three factors. One of the
key things is the provocative statements we
make and when we are making these
statements the younger ones are listening,
followers are listening. We threaten our
opponents.
“A particular governor told me that his
colleague in another party told him that
immediately they took over the government,
he will be sent to jail.
Mr. Buhari called for the strengthening of
democratic institutions in Nigeria. He said
before every general elections, there is
usually amendment to the Electoral Act
making difficult to cheat Nigeria.
Former UN Secretary General, Mr. Anan,
said Nigeria must do all to avoid conflict
because of its strategic importance to the
West African region.
“Nigeria is also a major actor on the
international scene not only does it host the
regional governmental body, ECOWAS, but
it is also a major troops contributor to the
United Nations peace keeping operations and
also sits at the United Nations Security
Council. But now Nigeria faces three critical
tests for its future progress and prosperity,”
he said.
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