Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, in partnership with Centre for Peace Advocacy and Sustainable Development, has called for peaceful electioneering processes, as awareness campaign begins in some parts of the country.
The foundation’s Progamme Manager, Mr Abdul Ahmed, said this at a campaign on “Shun Electoral Violence,’’ held at Jabi motor park in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday.
He said that his organisation chose the park to enlighten transport workers on the need to avoid election violence in the country.
Ahmed said that the campaign was also aimed at ensuring that all motor parks were safe for travelers before, during and after the 2023 general elections.
He said that the event was part of the ‘Youth Voices Against Electoral Violence’ project, which sought to promote peaceful political processes.
The programme manager said the situation in the country had called for such interventions, in view of the occurrence of post-election violence in past elections.
Ahmed said that the 2023 general elections were fast approaching, hence the need for sensitisation to shun electoral violence.
“We chose the motor parks because it is a very strategic point in which motorists transverse the country. With the skills received, they will be able to promote peaceful electioneering processes.
“These skills will guide their utterances during and after the elections and it will make a huge difference toward curtailing possible violence,” he said.
Mr Augustine Igweshi, Executive Director, Centre for Peace Advocacy and Sustainable Development, said the group had identified motor parks as places where young people were being coerced into engaging in electoral violence.
While stressing the need for peaceful coexistence, irrespective of individual choices and political party affiliations, he urged them not to allow themselves to be used as agents of disunity and destabilisation.
“Lots of reports have revealed that most election violence were perpetuated by touts from motor parks recruited by political elites to commit electoral violence.
“Peaceful elections are possible; we want them to reject being used as thugs; they should imbibe peace and promote peaceful election processes,” he said.
Igweshi urged all stakeholders to embrace peace and unity, appealing to other organisations to join the campaign for peaceful elections in 2023.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria