apprehension about the polls among the populace
is inimical to the conduct of a successful election.
In a statement issued in Lagos by its National Publicity
Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party however said its efforts
should be complemented by the PDP-led federal government, which has a
propensity for using the security agencies to harass and intimidate
the opposition and ordinary citizens.
It also said the FG should take all measures necessary to ensure that
the elections are free, fair and credible, since rigging and other
acts of electoral malfeasance constitute the immediate trigger for
anger and violence during and after elections.
''We have heard from Nigerians who are so afraid about possible
violence during the forthcoming election that they are even willing to
relocate to other countries until after the elections. But, as the
biggest opposition party in Nigeria and a major stakeholder in our
nation's democracy, we are assuring, on our part, that there will be
no violence.
''Though our party has no history of violence, we have commenced a
nationwide effort to sensitize our members and supporters to the need
to eschew rancour and embrace non-violent methods, even in the face of
the kind of provocations to which we were subjected during the Ekiti
and Osun governorship elections, when our members were needlessly
harassed, arrested and detained by partisan security agencies acting
under orders from the FG.
''If the federal government allows a level playing field for all
contestants, if the security agencies stop acting as the armed wing of
the ruling PDP, if the electoral umpire will carry out its duties
without fear, favour or bias and if citizens are allowed to exercise
their franchise unmolested, the stage will be set for a non-violent,
free, fair and credible polls. In other words, the government has a
major role to play in making the forthcoming polls peaceful.
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