The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Interfaith Mediation Centre, Kaduna, have decried the non-commitment of presidential candidates and their political parties to uphold the peace agreement signed towards having a peaceful 2023 general elections in Nigeria.
“We are simply reminding the political parties and candidates of their commitments as we gradually approach the general elections to dissuade not just themselves, but their supporters and influencers to desist from stoking up electoral violence and conflicts in the country,” Auwal Ibrahim Musa, the Executive Director, CISLAC, explained.
He spoke while briefing newsmen on the group’s efforts towards ensuring peaceful, free and fair elections in the country.
He added, “None of the presidential candidates has come out to calm down their spokespersons and the influencers on such statements capable of heating up the polity. Such statements are not healthy for the coming elections because candidates and their influencers must maintain peace and orderliness before, during and after the elections.
“It is unfortunate that the presidential candidates allow their spokesperson, influencers and members of political parties to heat up the polity by saying things that are not healthy for our political development; a lot is still required of them to ensure a peaceful election in the country.”
He thanked the Southern Kaduna Christians and Muslims for coming together to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to uphold peace throughout the electioneering period in the State, saying, “We consider the act as thoughtful, proactive, exemplary and worthy of emulation by other regions of the State, as well as the federation at large.”
According to him, the commitment of the political parties and their frontline candidates under the accord binds them to shunning hate speech, peddling of fake news, political thuggery and other acts that unnecessarily heat up the polity and stoke up electoral violence while focusing on issued-based campaigns.
The Executive Director lamented, “Kaduna State has had its fair share of violence over the years; this is detrimental to development. It is far easier for the State and its people to thrive in peace than combating chaos. Relationships with security agencies, as well as other peace structures in the State must be strengthened to allow for early warning and early response mechanisms to be effective.”