By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), including media professionals, faith-based groups, and peace-building networks, have urged citizens to maintain peace during the electoral process and vote for credible candidates of their choice.
The Network of Peace Journalists (NPJ), in collaboration with Community Peace Observers (CPO) and the Interfaith Mediation Center (IMC), made the call on Friday ahead of Saturday’s re-run elections in Kaduna and other parts of Nigeria.
Ibrahima Yakubu, Team Leader of the NPJ, alongside other stakeholders in peacebuilding and interfaith dialogue, stressed the importance of mass participation and urged citizens to remain peaceful and law-abiding.
“There is a need to mobilize citizens to come out en masse to vote for credible candidates of their choice,” Yakubu said.
He appealed to youths to shun political thuggery and resist being used to foment violence before, during, or after the elections.
Yakubu also emphasized the need for early distribution of election materials and timely commencement of voting. He cautioned citizens against relying on unofficial results circulating on social media, urging them instead to follow verified announcements from credible TV and radio stations.
He further appealed for the protection of journalists and media workers covering the polls.
Similarly, Mr. Samson Auta, Co-Director of the IMC, called for peaceful conduct, urging candidates to accept results in good faith and seek legal redress where necessary.
He advised voters against selling their votes, stressing that every ballot “counts and should be cast with integrity.”
In a related statement, Mallam Mohammed Zakariyya, leader of the CPO in Badarawa and Unguwan Dosa, also called on Nigerians to reject violence and promote unity.
He encouraged youths to become ambassadors of peace and urged women to play active roles by voting for credible candidates and refusing to sell their votes.
