Elections Must Hold In S’East, Northern Elders Tell FG

Apparently worried by the rise in the pitch of violent groups threatening the conduct of the 2023 general election in the South East, elders of the Northern part of the country yesterday asked the federal government to make sure that the polls are conducted in the zone.

Accordingly, the northern elders under the aegis of Northern Elders Forum (NEF) called on President Muhammadu Buhari to deal with the threats, saying the deafening silence from leaders, elders and politicians from the region and other parts of Nigeria on the dangerous threats is also deeply disturbing.

The northern elders said it is even more disturbing that the threats are being followed by actual attacks on government buildings and killings, including killing of policemen in the region.

NEF warned that if the dangerous trends are not challenged head on, those behind the lawless acts are likely to assume that they will succeed.

In a statement issued by its director, publicity and advocacy, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, NEF said it had been its consistent position and that of other patriotic groups that the 2023 elections must hold throughout the length and breadth of Nigeria.

It said any attempt to interfere in the rights of Nigerians to participate in the election of their leaders would amount to a serious assault on the sovereignty of Nigeria and an act that must be resisted.

“Nigerians want a credible election and a peaceful transition to the next administration, and no group should be allowed to plunge the nation into deeper crises by tolerating threats to the elections and peace in the country.

“A threat to the elections is a threat to the democratic system, and the very foundations on which the nation rests. If it succeeds, this threat will signal the start of other crises the country may not recover from,” it said.

The northern elders called on the Buhari administration to assert its legitimate authority on any lawless group in any part of the country and ensure that voters are not prevented or threatened.

They added that leaders must openly condemn the outrageous threats and assure citizens who want to vote that they can do so.

“Politicians who want to lead us must step out and condemn these threats. For the avoidance of doubt, these threats from groups in the South East are cowardly and childish. Nonetheless, those behind them should know that they will be resisted,” NEF added.