Kaduna is often a boiling cauldron but as the 2019 elections approach, the state government and faith-based organisations are making efforts to keep the political capital of the North violence-free. ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE reports
Kaduna is a melting pot. People of diverse cultural backgrounds call it home. Politicians and prominent people from the North have their homes in the city, which is historically the capital of the region.
The city is also a boiling cauldron. The least spark ignites huge fires. That is why everyone is seeking to keep the town quiet not just during the festivities but through the elections coming up early in the New Year.
Organisations which have have made those efforts include the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and concerned NGOs, among others. Now the state government and interfaith groups appear to have sensed possible violence during the forthcoming general elections, and have resolved to avert anything capable of threatening the peace of the state.
The Kaduna State Peace Commission has brought the governorship candidates of the major political parties together to agree to a peace pact. A faith-based group called Interfaith Dialogue for Peace (IDFP) has trained 30 leaders of Muslim and Christian organisations on peaceful 2019 general elections in the state.
At a summit held at Arewa House Kaduna recently, with a theme: ‘Towards Peaceful 2019 General Elections in Kaduna’, Kaduna State Peace Commission, bringing the governorship candidates together to agree to peace was imperative, because they are the critical stakeholders, who can ensure violence-free elections.
While the governorship candidates of all the political parties in Kaduna state agreed to peace pact, Governor El-Rufai has vowed that the state government will go after and prosecute those threatening the peace of Kaduna state.
He expressed optimism that, there will not be violence in Kaduna during and after the 2019 general elections, if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducts a credible poll like the recent gubernatorial election in Osun State.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Hassan Hyet charged the ruling party to ensure a peaceful election, saying that the PDP is ready to conduct itself well in accordance with the law and the INEC guidelines, but the security agencies and the electoral umpire must equally play by the rules and avoid being partisan.
Governor El-Rufai in his reaction said massive rigging of elections was responsible for the post-election violence experienced in the past.
“Our party,” he said, “is committed to peace and peaceful elections. The political parties that merged with APC were victims of rigged elections and consequential violence. It was the massive rigging of election in 2011 that led to widespread violence at that time and Kaduna state lost over 800 lives.
“The election of 2015 was a game changer because everybody believed it was credible particularly in the northern part of Nigeria and southwest. To a large extent, most people believed that 2015 election were credible and that was why it was inevitable that president Jonathan had to concede and here in Kaduna state, we are also happy the governor then called me and conceded.
“We just returned from Osun State for the inauguration of a Governor. I was in Osun for the first round of election and it is the most credible election I have ever seen in the world. I was not around for the second round, but the first round of election in Osun was very credible. Election materials arrived early, no incidences of destruction or violence or snatching of ballot boxes.
“It is my view as candidate of APC that if INEC conducts election of 2019 with the same kind of credibility as the Osun election, there will be no violence at all because it is rigging that leads to violence.
“I want to tell you all those that want to be governor, it is not an easy job. It is just that when I look at some of those that want to be governor and what they have done to the state in the past, I feel I have a duty to protect the state and so many people of the state from the evil of the past.
“Now as a governor of the state, the biggest challenge we have as state government in Kaduna state is the likelihood if violence during campaign and Election Day. Most of the violence that occurred in this state was post-election violence.
“Elections and campaign in Kaduna state have generally been peaceful, it is after the results are announced that we have instances of violence. Politicians have been engaging in hate speeches and they have been encouraging others to engage on social media, incitement, malicious falsehood and religion and ethnic sentiments in politics. This is the biggest problem we are facing as a government. I appeal to all of us politicians to desist from these.
“We end up destroying lives by giving young people weapons and guns for election purposes. What will they do with them after the election. They become a monster difficult to deal with. So, I want to appeal to our colleagues to listen to what Bishop Fearon said to mind our language, to avoid using improper words because politic is not war. Its just a competition. We should try not to divide our people because if we win, we still need to unite them to govern them.
“If we care about our people, if we care about our state let us campaign in peace let follow the tenet of our religion. Let campaign on issues and achieve“And for us in the Kaduna state government. We are determined to bring to justice anyone that engage in hate speech in their tweet, Facebook, WhatsApp that lead to destruction of property or human being in Kaduna state. We are doing that vigorously. We don’t care what people say.
“Anyone that comes to Kaduna and say something or even outside Kaduna no matter who he is whether Bishop, Imam or Sheikh. Whether he calls himself chief or Hakimi, we will bring him to justice. We are ready to bring him to Kaduna and prosecute him and we are in the trail of many of them- some in Abuja, Lagos. We will bring them to Kaduna and try them for incitement, malicious falsehood or hate speech. We are trying to do that and we are not going to politicise it because the protection of lives and properties should never be politicised.”
Earlier, chairmen and gubernatorial candidates of other political parties who spoke said they were ready to play by the rules, but the ruling party must not use the instruments of the state to rig the election in its favour.
Meanwhile, as a way of supporting government’ efforts, so that Kaduna may not burn again, Interfaith Dialogue for Peace (IDFP) has trained 30 Muslim and Christian Organizations’ Leaders on peaceful 2019 general elections in Kaduna State.
IFDP while disclosing that, the training is equally going to take place in Plateau State, said the choice of Kaduna and Plateau for the training was informed by the incidences of violence in the previous elections
Co-chairman of IFDP, Muhammed Muhammed said, the youth leaders were carefully selected, as youth are the movers and shakers of bad and good things, especially political thuggery and hate speeches on social media.
Speaking further at the two-day Training /Dialogue on Peaceful Election for Youth Organisation’s Leaders, Mohammed said, “Kaduna has witnessed violence in the past more than any other state in the country, so we choose Kaduna youth for the training because it’s a flashpoint as far as election violence is concerned.”
He said records have showed that about 800 lives were lost in 2011 violence elections and many were displaced in Kaduna state.
Also speaking at the event, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) State Secretary, Rev. Sunday Ibrahim and Secretary of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) Alhaji Ibrahim Kufena called for peaceful election in the country.
The religious leaders said only free, fair and credible election will lead to violence free 2019 election.
They however called on the participants to ensure they pass the peace message to youths in their various communities and to ensure that no life is lost come 2019 elections.
