As voters in 28 States head to the polls to choose their governors and lawmakers, the National Peace Committee on Thursday expressed concern over what it called “Open Threats of intimidation and violence by some groups within the country.” The committee also issued an appeal for calm.
Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd), the chairman of the NPC and a former head of state, said in a statement released in Abuja that the call was necessary due to the open threats of violence and intimidation made by some members of the community who were using labels of ethnicity and religion to further their goals of voter suppression.
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He said that the group had continued to make the same plea that it had before on February 25, 2023, before the presidential election.
According to Abdulsalam, the NPC acknowledged and recognised that the nation and its people were going through a difficult moment.
He stated: “The Presidential 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. Notwithstanding all this, we are pleased and encouraged by the matured 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 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 Assemblies will be conducted. We are worried by the open threats of intimidation and violence by certain elements within the society who are using ethnic and religious labels to achieve their intentions of voter 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.”
