The National Peace Committee Chairman, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, has said that Nigerians are highly worried about their safety after the February 25 – March 11 general election. According to the ex- Military Head of State, the people fear that the exercise could be marred by violence, with some of the elective positions declared inconclusive. Abdulsalami, represented by the Head of Secretariat of the committee Rev. Fr. Attah Barkindo, spoke during the signing of a peace accord by eight candidates for the March 11 Kano State governorship election in Kano yesterday.
The event was organised by the state wing of the committee at Minna Event Centre. He said: “Nigerians are worried that elections will be inconclusive, and violent, this made it mandatory for INEC and the security agencies to sit up to ensure that the right things are done.”
He identified the reports of the violent attacks at campaign grounds as a serious security problem that should be stopped. The ex-military chief urged candidates to accept the outcome of the election for the sake of peace. The Special Representative of the United Nations for West Africa, Giovanni Biha urged candidates to collectively and openly denounce violence, saying doing so would help curtail uncertainties. Biha commended the governorship candidates for agreeing to sign the peace accord, explaining that it would ensure peace in Kano. The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) Secretary in Kano, Garba Lawal Muhammad said the Commission had already addressed the issue of the late arrival of election materials and others. Ambassador Ibrahim A. Waiya, the Head of Secretariat, Kano Peace Committee, told the candidates to abide by the peace accord
