Elections must go on, Gambari, NPAN say

The elections had been delayed by six weeks on security concerns, but Prof Gambari yesterday warned against further delay in order to avoid a “constitutional crisis.”Prof Gambari, a former Nigerian Ambassador to United Nations (UN), is the Co-ordinator of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development otherwise known as the Council of the Wise.He […]

The elections had been delayed by six weeks on security concerns, but Prof Gambari yesterday warned against further delay in order to avoid a “constitutional crisis.”
Prof Gambari, a former Nigerian Ambassador to United Nations (UN), is the Co-ordinator of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development otherwise known as the Council of the Wise.
He spoke yesterday when he led a delegation of the council members on a sensitization visit to former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta.
He said having credible and violent free elections remained sacrosanct and must be observed by all.
He criticised the call for the removal of the chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Attahiru Jega by a segment of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other groups.
Gambari, while responding to newsmen questions after the about 30 minutes behind closed door meeting with Obasanjo, said the call was unfortunate.
He said: “You cannot change the referee in the middle of the game. That is partisan.
“INEC has assured us of giving free and fair elections. What we should all do is to support them to have peaceful, free and fair elections.”
He said the Council had been meeting with former Heads of State, Traditional rulers, governors, society groups and religious leaders across the country “for the purpose of preaching peace in this election.
He said: “We must have a credible and violent free elections. Nigerians are watching, the International communities are watching.  
“This year, some West African countries are going into elections, we are the first. Five African countries are going to also have their elections.
 “We must show that we are still the giant of Africa by having peaceful elections. This is what we discussed with the former President, and we got his assurance that we must get it right. Elections must not be postponed again to avoid constitutional crisis.”
Asked to react to the alleged hate-campaign by the wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, Prof Gamabari said:
“It is not my duty to advice the First Lady on that. But, I don’t know exactly what was said and I think a retraction has been made on what was reported to have been said. In any case, all Nigerians, both high and low should be dedicated to peace and peaceful elections.”
NPAN seeks credible polls
Also, the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) said elections must hold on the rescheduled dates and urged political actors to shun violence.
NPAN disclosed this in a communiqué issued at the end of its extra-ordinary meeting held in Abuja yesterday, where it reviewed the political situation in the country.
The communiqué signed by its president Nduka Obaigbena said: “the general election must hold on March 28th and April 11th as scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“The election must produce an outcome and Nigerians must rally around whoever emerges the winner, it said.
“This election is for and by the Nigerian people and it must be free, fair and held in such a way that it will deepen the nation’s democracy such that at the end of the electoral process, Nigeria must be the winner,” the media owners said.
They also called on Nigerians, especially political leaders across the nation, “to eschew every form of violence. The prevalent do-or-die attitude is unnecessary, unhelpful and unhealthy for our system of democracy. We must all say no to violence before, during and after the election.”