As the 2023 general elections approach, the National Progressive Hub is set to host a violence-free elections and security summit in Abuja.
The event which is slated for October 6, 2022 has as its theme “2023: Curbing Political Violence and Promoting Issue Based Campaigns.”
Giving reasons for the Peace Summit, National Coordinator of the Progressive Hub, Hon Bukie Okangbe, said, “We are in the thick of another election cycle in Nigeria and the polity is already overheated with inciting and divisive tendencies and comments across party lines. Such rhetoric can trigger crisis and derail our democracy.
“As members of the largest political party in Africa, we deem it necessary to hold ourselves and the party leadership responsible for de-escalating the current tension within our polity and showing our commitment to sustaining peace before, during and after the elections.
“Consequently we felt the need to organise a national summit to discuss ways to curb political violence and redirect electoral strategies towards issue-based campaigns especially on critical areas of governance that affect the lives of the vast majority of the Nigerians. The 2023 elections have a lot at stake owing to the unprecedented interest among Nigerians especially the young people.
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“With emotions becoming riled up, it is necessary to have conversations on ways to lower the tensions and political temperatures. The Summit provides the platform for that conversation where political actors, security officials and the people from the grassroot converge to discuss very frankly.”
She said the National Progressive Hub is one of the foremost support groups of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with membership cutting across the 36 states of the federation and FCT.
“The Progressive Hub as a grassroot-based organisation has stood grounded in campaigning for the continuity of the progressive agenda, projecting and defending the progressive Government of APC and relentlessly preaching about unity of our great country Nigeria where peace and justice prevail.
“Over the years we have championed for transparency, accountability and a true internal democratic system for our party, APC. As we approach the 2023 General Elections, the National Progressive Hub is at the forefront of not just ensuring that the party emerges victorious in the Presidential election but across other national and state elections.
“Most importantly we want to achieve this in a peaceful atmosphere devoid of the usual political violence that has been associated with our previous elections, hence this Summit on Peaceful Elections,” she said.
Expected participants at the Summit, which holds at the NAF Conference Centre, include APC National Working Committee members; APC Candidates and other party stakeholders; Progressive Governors Forum; National Assembly members/Federal Executive Council members; security and intelligence officials/Civil Society Organizations; Diplomatic Missions and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); as well as National Progressive Hub members from the 36 and the Federal Capital Territory and APC members.