Peaceful conduct during today’s guber polls

There was that matter of the card reader during the voting exercise, and then the unfortunate drama by Godsday Orubebe, former Niger Delta Minister offered a most unfortunate drama when the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress appeared to be winning. There was the jubilation after the APC was announced as the […]

There was that matter of the card reader during the voting exercise, and then the unfortunate drama by Godsday Orubebe, former Niger Delta Minister offered a most unfortunate drama when the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress appeared to be winning.
There was the jubilation after the APC was announced as the winner of the presidential election after so much suspense, where many Nigerians wielded brooms in different parts of the country. Amongst them were touts who took this opportunity to behave in an unruly manner, harassing motorists with brooms and ordering them to give way on the road. Still, peace reigned.
Now the governorship election, the most important after the presidential one, takes place today. The umbrellas and the brooms will be on ballot papers for Nigerians to stamp their thumbprints. INEC intends to go on with the card reader. There is no going back. So we as a people must be prepared to do what is needful and right as law abiding citizens. What happened in the latter election, which was peaceful and said to be free and fair, is what many are praying for and after one wins and the other loses there is need for good conduct in order not to stir any chaos.
Examples in peace such as that displayed by the INEC chairman, Attahiru jega, during the collation of results (when Orubebe pointed accusing fingers) is to be emulated. Also, conceding of defeat by President Goodluck Jonathan is worthy of emulation to those who will face defeat in the governorship election.   
We need more examples of peace in the country and today’s election should be one of them. The news media across the world will carry the news of how we as Nigerians conducted ourselves at this crucial point of our history and how politicians brought respect to Nigerian elections in their actions afterwards, whether as winners or losers.                 
Dandodo wrote from Barnawa, Kaduna State.