Ex-military head of state, Abdulsalami, expresses concern over probable violence in gubers

As 28 states go to the polls to elect their governors and legislators on Saturday, the National Peace Committee issued an appeal for peace on Thursday.

Concern was voiced by the organization on what it called “open threats of intimidation and violence by certain groups within the society.”

Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (ret.), the chairman of the NPC and a former military head of state, said in a statement released in Abuja on Thursday, that the call was necessary due to the open threats of violence and intimidation made by some members of society who are using racial and religious labels to further their intentions of voter suppression.

Abdusalami said the NPC had been following up with the same appeal that it made ahead of the presidential and National Assembly elections on February 25, 2023.

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He said, “The presidential and National Assembly 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 that we now find ourselves in. Notwithstanding all these, we are pleased and encouraged by the mature attitudes of the candidates who contested the presidential election.

“We are encouraged by the restraint they have exhibited and their commitment to seek justice through due process. This is in keeping with the spirit of the Peace Accord. We, therefore, appeal to the supporters of all the parties and our citizens to please follow the 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 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.”

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