Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has warned that the 2023 election may not produce the results many Nigerians would be expecting and lambastedtheleadershipof political parties over the apparent compromise of the process of conducting free and fair primary elections for the selection of candidates ahead of the 2023 general election.
Abdulsalami, who spoke yesterday in his capacity as Chairman, National Peace Committee (NPC), expressed dissatisfaction with the way some political parties conducted their primary elections, especially the alleged monetisation of the process, warning that such a trend could affect the outcome of the 2023 elections negatively.
He also condemned the “acrimonious conduct” of some political actors in the processesleadingtotheparty conventions and faulted the elevation of the ‘delegate position’ over and above the welfare of the average Nigerian. Abdulsalami said with all that have happened so far, the 2023 election may not produce the results many Nigeria would be expecting at the end of the process.
“We are aware that the 2023 election may not be the best – as can be attested to by the monetisation of the process, the acrimonious conduct of the recent party primaries, and the elevation of the ‘delegate position’ over and above the welfare of ordinary Nigerians,” he said. Abdulsalami said that with the general elections months away, and the spike in violence across the country, the Ekiti State governorship elections offers a glimmer of hope and window of opportunity to assess how the 2023 elections will pan out.
He therefore charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to be neutral and provide a level playing field for all contestants in the June 18 governorship election in Ekiti State. He reminded all those charged with the responsibility of conducting the election and the political actors to play by the rules as Nigerians, and indeed the world, would be watching for the outcome of the election.
According to him, the conduct and outcome of the Ekiti State off-cycle election will put to test all the claims of electoral reforms and strategic policy implementations of the last four years. “We expect that a level playing field should be provided for all contestants – irrespective of the party under which they are contesting. We call on INEC and the security agencies not only to be non-partisan in the discharge of their duties, but to also be seen to be so.
“We equally call on INEC to ensure inclusivity, facilitating an electoral exercise where people do not in any way experience disenfranchisement as a result of their gender, religious or ethnic affiliations, and/or disability. We also urge the contestants to approach the elections in a true spirit of sportsmanship,” he said.
The former military leader also urged the media, including the social media, to be alive to their responsi bilities and avoid fake news and sensational reports that could further inflame passions.
“We urge all the people taking part in the Ekiti State governorship to follow due process, conduct themselves with civility and patriotism. They should not take the laws into their hands – no matter the grievances they may hold against individuals, against the state, or against electoral bodies or security agencies. “In particular, we call on our youths not to make themselves pawns in the political chessboard of the political class.
The youths must realise that the security, stability, and future of Nigeria remains their common patrimony. They must make themselves available to become ambassadors of peace, retaining hope in Nigeriaandsupportthedemocratic process in Ekiti state, and Nigeria in general,” he said
