Obama, ECOWAS, Shagari: Elections must be credible, peaceful

United States President, Barack Obama, in a video message he sent directly to Nigerians yesterday said “for elections to be credible, they must be free, fair and peaceful.” ECOWAS delegation led by Chairman and Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama also yesterday met separately with President Goodluck Jonathan; his main challenger, General Muhammadu Buhari of the […]

United States President, Barack Obama, in a video message he sent directly to Nigerians yesterday said “for elections to be credible, they must be free, fair and peaceful.”
ECOWAS delegation led by Chairman and Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama also yesterday met separately with President Goodluck Jonathan; his main challenger, General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the chairman of the electoral commission, Professor Attahiru Jega.
Also, the Commonwealth Election Observer Group and former President Alhaji Shehu Shagari at separate press conferences in Abuja and Sokoto respectively said the general elections must be peaceful, and in accordance with the rule of law and other democratic values.
 President Obama in his video message said all Nigerians must be able to cast their votes without intimidation or fear adding that they must also vote peacefully and reject the call for violence.
“I’m told that there is a saying in your country: “To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done,” he said referring to Nigeria’s civil war era slogan. He added: “Today, I urge all Nigerians—from all religions, all ethnic groups, and all regions—to come together and keep Nigeria one.”
When elections are free and fair, it is the responsibility of all citizens to help keep the peace, no matter who wins, he said.
“Now you have a historic opportunity to help write the next chapter of Nigeria’s progress—by voting in the upcoming elections.
 “So I call on all leaders and candidates to make it clear to their supporters that violence has no place in democratic elections—and that they will not incite, support or engage in any kind of violence—before, during, or after the votes are counted.
“Together, you won your independence, emerged from military rule, and strengthened democratic institutions.  You’ve strived to overcome division and to turn Nigeria’s diversity into a source of strength.
“Successful elections and democratic progress will help Nigeria meet the urgent challenges you face today.  Boko Haram—a brutal terrorist group that kills innocent men, women and children—must be stopped.  “Hundreds of kidnapped children deserve to be returned to their families.  Nigerians who have been forced to flee deserve to return to their homes.
ECOWAS meets Jonathan, Buhari
The Ghanaian President met behind closed-door with both President Jonathan and General Buhari at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.
Speaking to reporters Mahama said President Goodluck Jonathan had assured him that the March 28 presidential election would hold.
“I began this morning with a meeting with President Jonathan and we discussed all issues to do with this election and I have firm assurances that everything is set to go and by 28 of this month the election will come up,” Mahama told journalists after meeting with the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Abuja.
He also urged political stakeholders to eschew violence and avoid anything that may scuttle the polls.
“The whole of West Africa and indeed the whole international community is watching your country because we believe that this election is critical and it going to another step that will enhance and consolidate democracy in Nigeria,” he said.
He added that “ECOWAS will do everything possible to work with all the political stakeholders in this election, and with the INEC to make sure that the election process is credible and acceptable to the people of Nigeria.”
Mahama said: “Following my meeting with President Jonathan, I met with INEC chairman, he gave me the figures of their roll out in terms of logistical deployment and I believed that with what he shows, they have done an excellent work to be able to ensure that every Nigerian exercise his franchise.”
He said the head of ECOWAS monitoring team, former President John Kuffor, is going to arrive in Nigeria on the 25 and would remain here till the election.
He said ECOWAS, having reviewed the preparations so far, is satisfied with the arrangement, saying their concern is that the election must be free, fair and credible.
On his meeting with Buhari, the ECOWAS leader said he had a satisfactory interaction with the APC flag bearer, adding that he would forward some of the few issues raised by Buhari to the appropriate quarters.
Give peace a chance- Shagari
In Sokoto, former president Shagari called on all Nigerians to give peace a chance as the nation goes to the general elections.
“We are all Nigerians and this is how God wishes it to be as such we should not do anything detrimental to the peace, unity and progress of the country,” he stated.
Shagari added that whoever does anything against the wishes, aspiration and the collective good of Nigerians would be doing a great disservice to the country.
He advised against violence and enjoined peace during and after the forthcoming elections.
Commonwealth: We’ll assess elections
The Commonwealth election observer group in Nigeria said it is critical for Nigeria’s general elections to be peaceful in accordance with the rule of law and other democratic values.
The Chairperson of the observer group to Nigeria’s 2015 elections and former President of Malawi, Dr. Bakili Muluzi, while speaking at a press conference in Abuja yesterday said conducting credible elections is important.
“We will assess whether the elections are conducted according to the standards for democratic elections to which Nigeria has committed itself, including the constitutional framework and national legislation as well as Commonwealth and other international commitments,” he said.
Muluzi said that the group already met with INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, and added that there has been some improvement in the level of preparedness by the commission.
He disclosed that the group, comprising of 10 people would be working with other election observers from other organizations such as the European Union and ECOWAS.