The Northern Peace Conference on the 2023 elections has brought together chieftains of political parties, security experts, civil society organisations, INEC Commissioners and Peace Advocates to deliberate on how to achieve peaceful elections in 2023.
Speaking at the conference, Chairman of INEC Professor Mahmoud Yakub, represented by Professor Abdullahi Zuru, explained that for the citizens to exercise their franchise in the forthcoming election, there was the need for the political actors to play according to the game.
It is the seventh successive general election since the restoration of democracy in Nigeria 23 years ago in 1999.
This is the longest unbroken period of democracy and democratic elections since independence from British colonial rule 62 years ago in 1960.
This convergence of stakeholders in electoral process in Nigeria is asking that Nigerians should shun violence and everything that could jeopardise the success of the 2023 election.
They also express worry over the lack of trust in electoral institutions.
Political parties have been asked to caution their followers to shun any act of violence while propagating their interests.
The gathering agreed to continue to propagate the message of Peace through different channels, to secure the sanctity of the polls.
The issue of the threat of violence in the build up to the 2023 General election has been raising dust with even the National Peace Committee headed by former Military Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, had raised the alarm over the issue.
The facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has also come under vicious attacks in the South East, the North and now the South Western States of Ogun and Osun in the last week.
Activities of unidentified gunmen in the South East, Banditry and Terrorism in the North, Militancy in the Niger Delta and now arsonists in the South West and also natural disaster like flooding are all threats that Citizens will help in staving off by working with Government officials and Security agencies.
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