GROUPS PREACH PEACEFUL ELECTIONS IN IMO

 
REPORTER: CHINAZO ILECHUKWU

Youths and political gladiators in Imo State have been urged to shun violence and work towards ensuring peaceful elections in the area.

The Senior Programme Manager of a nongovernmental organisation advocating for democracy and electoral justice, Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), Mr. Oluwafemi John, gave the charge in Owerri while inaugurating the “State Peace and Mediation Working Committee” in Owerri.

He said the Peace Committee, supported by International organisations, was made up of Strategic persons with high level of integrity to reach out to youths, politicians, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other opinion leaders to preach the message of peace, noting that people’s ambition does not worth the life of any citizen.

Mr. John said the presidential election was strategic to the survival of the nation, hence efforts must be intensified towards preventing violence during and after the polls.

A security analyst representing another organisation pursuing peaceful elections in Africa, “International Republican Institute,” Mr. James Benneth, identified vote buying, impunity by the political class and thuggery as threats to peaceful elections in Nigeria.

He said data generated by the Institute indicated that more than one hundred incidences of electoral violence had so far been recorded in 31 states across the federation and called on security agents to ensure prosecution of electoral offenders to save the nation’s democracy.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Peter Ohagwa, while thanking the organisations for finding them worthy to discharge the duties, said they had already started engaging security agencies, traditional institutions and the clergy on ways of maintaining security before, during and after the elections.

The seven-member committee had representatives from the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the State Electoral body, the Clergy and civil society.

 
EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU