Abdulsalami speaks on Benue supplementary elections, reveals what must be done

Former military Head of State and Chairman, National Peace Committee, (NPC), General Abdulsalami Abubakar has called for free, fair and peaceful conduct of the governorship and House of Assembly supplementary elections in Benue State, on Saturday.

Abdulsalami made the call, yesterday, in Makurdi, the state capital, during a Town Hall meeting of NPC, where he opined that only a peaceful election can engender development in the society.

He was represented by the Media Officer of Kukah Centre George Nakanda, who harped on the need to ensure peace before, during and after the elections.

“We are trying to enforce a situation where there are peaceful elections and ensure there is peace after the elections,” he said.

On his part, Governor Samuel Ortom, who was represented at the event by his deputy, Benson Abounu, enjoined the contenders to accept the outcome of electoral process which is devoid of malpractices as well as embrace peace which he noted is a prerequisite for development.

The governor commended the convener of the event stressing that the meeting would go a long way to foster peace during the elections even as he cautioned against acts that could lead to loss of lives and destruction of election materials.

In Abuja, the NPC cautioned the electorate not to take laws into their hands no matter how aggrieved they may have felt. The NPC, in a statement signed by Abubakar and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, respectively, also said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and political gladiators in the supplementary elections should know that the eyes of Nigerians, and indeed, the world, are on them.

The NPC added that it is aware that the current election cycle has not been exactly perfect as can be attested to by the acrimonious accusations and counter-accusations between the two leading political parties, as well as the reports of some observers, both local and international.

“We urge everyone taking part in the elections not to take the laws into their hands; however aggrieved they may feel by any action or inaction of the authorities, the electoral umpire of the security agencies. In particular, we call on our youths not to make themselves pawns in the chessboard of the political class.”