Elder statesman and former Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Alhaji Maitama Sule Wednesday in Kano urged politicians to eschew violence and embrace peace as the 2015 general elections draw near.
Alhaji Maitama Sule who was the first Minister of Oil spoke at the Elders Statesmen/Stakeholders Seminar on peaceful conduct of 2015 election organized at the instance of Kano state Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Kpotun Idris, in collaboration with other security agencies in the state, regretted why violence and electoral Mal-practice is now the order of the day.
“It was not like this during our days,” he stated, while giving instances how political leaders like Tafawa Balewa, Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Obafemi Awolowo and Nnamdi Azikiwe played politics without bitterness.
According to him, “these great leaders belonged to different political parties; but they loved one another, they respected one another—they thought us who were following them how to respect one another and the unity of the country was paramount to all of us.”
He further advocated for peace during the electioneering campaign, peace during the election and peace after the election, while urging politicians to desist from inflammatory statements capable of plunging the country into unnecessary sociopolitical or religious crises.
Also speaking at the event, Kano state Deputy Governor and gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, regretted that, “political violence is a very serious issue, not only in Kano state but all over Nigeria and in developing countries.
“Here in Kano, it is an issue that we should take very serious; it is beyond making pledges. We should be seen taking some concrete steps to avoid political violence—rather than making mere statements.
“First of all, I will like all political parties to admit that we are all guilty. It is not the aspirants, but their followers and we need to educate and sensitize them from engaging in violence or carrying dangerous weapons with the suspicion that other parties would want to attack them.”
Ganduje, however, urged aggrieved politicians to channel their complaints to security agencies instead of taking the laws into their hands, adding that with the measures already taken by security agencies to promote peace and order, there was no gainsaying the fact the 2015 election in Kano would be conducted peaceful.
Also speaking, gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Malam Salihu Sagir Takai also sued for peace, noting that elections should not be seen as a matter of do-or-die.
“Really we need peace, peace is life. If there is no peace, there will be no life at all anywhere in the world, and Nigeria is part of the world and Kano state is part of Nigeria. So, in any case, we need peace, we love peace and we want peace even in these elections and in anything you do—in our home, in our markets, in our Mosque and churches—everywhere, we need peace.
“So, we need peaceful election in Nigeria. We need peaceful election in Kano state; we need free and fair election in this country. So, we in the PDP are hoping for a peaceful election and we call on all the contestants within the PDP and outside the PDP to also embrace peace.”
In his speech, the Commissioner of Police said: “we have come together to join hands with our political actors to ensure that the coming elections in the state are conducted peacefully, and free of rancor between the political actors and their supporters, and to witness the signing of peace accord between aspirants from all political parties for those that will contest the positions of Governors, Senate and the House of Representatives.
“The coming elections have generated tension within the populace and we considered it imperative that all persons of goodwill should lend a helping hand to reign in the excesses of some of our political actors who have been using the teeming population of our youth to perpetrate violence in the state.
“It is the resolve of the security agencies in the state to provide a level playing ground for all political parties and actors to carry out their political activities such as campaigns and rallies without molestation, coercion, intimidation and attacks by political opponents under any guise.
“The ordinary citizens residing in the state who are not card carrying members of any political parties are in the majority and they deserve to be free from fear and intimidation from misguided political party’s supporters and actors who are involved in political thuggery, inciting and causing disturbances of public peace and brandishing weapons in full glare of the public which contravenes our laws of the land.”
All security chiefs in the state, including the Director of State Security Service, Bassey Etang, Commander of 3 Brigade, Brigadier-General O. Ejemai, Commander of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Garba Ahmadu, Commander of 303 Flying Training School, Air-Commodore Iyamu and others who spoke all campaigned for peace and order during the elections.
Highlight of the seminar was the signing of Peace Accord document by candidates of all the political parties, which was moderated by the chairman of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Kano branch, Bar. Mamman Lawal Yusufari.
