Television Nigerian

Kano Election Peace Committee (KEPC) has expressed concern over cases of political violence in the state ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Civil society organisations (CSOs), religious leaders and the academia, who form the committee, are especially worried over the death of four persons during a recent rally in Bichi and Rano areas of the state.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, leaders of the committee said that the “unhealthy political rivalry in Kano” where human lives were lost remained a bad omen in the country’s democracy.

The group also hinted its plans for a peace accord where top political aspirants would be invited to commit themselves to peaceful conduct of the elections.

According to the co-chairman of KEPC and Catholic Bishop of Kano, Dr. John Niyiring, the committee demands thorough investigation into the reported killings in Rano and Bichi councils to serve as deterrent to potential killers.

The police had indicted a House of Representatives member for Wudil/Garko, Mohammad Wudil, for allegedly mobilising thugs to the rally where fracas erupted and persons killed.

Said the bishop: “Let me remind our political actors, particularly the office-seekers and their supporters, that democracy is a game played through laid down principles.

“The ultimate benefit of every political leadership is how maximally the lives of the electorate are improved, secured, protected, preserved and empowered, not destroyed. We, therefore, want the police to investigate the killings in Rano and Bichi, and bring the perpetrators to book.”

Another leader of the committee, Prof. Ibrahim Umar, noted that the group was inaugurated as replica of National Election Peace Committee to midwife peace among the key political parties and their candidates, for the overall interest of peace and tranquility in Kano.

Prof. Ibrahim stressed: “Part of our objectives is to get flag-bearers of political parties to abide by the rules as enshrined in the constitution. We shall conduct public awareness where advocacy will be raised on the importance of peaceful co-existence during and after the elections.

“We would also, through the CSOs, monitor activities of all the political parties and their candidates to ensure compliance with the peace accord.”

The All Progressives Congress has advised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to dwell more on his agenda for the country, rather than dissipating energies on raising puerile allegations daily.

The party was reacting to Abubakar’s several attacks on President Buhari, where in one of them he accused unidentified relations of Buhari of buying up shares in Etisalat.

APC publicity secretary, Malam Lanre Isa-Onilu said Abubakar may be exhibiting early signs of depression, resulting from obvious frustration as he is unable to focus on his campaign.

“Otherwise, Atiku should tell Nigerians why a discredited person like him should be elected as President instead of raising puerile allegations on a daily basis. President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC), not his programmes for the country appear to be his main campaign issues.

“Nigerians are desirous of campaign that focuses on issues that matter to them. For Atiku and his PDP co-travellers, the only interest is to grab power and continue where they stopped in their avarice.

“The APC administration is eager to showcase the impressive achievements we have recorded in the last three and half years. This is the campaign that matters to us and this is what Nigerians are interested in.

The trajectory is exciting as we see a brighter future shaping up. We won’t yield to the PDP’s shenanigans. The obvious strategy of the PDP is to truncate the country’s journey towards economic buoyancy and social stability. We will not play the PDP’s game. PDP is acting an anti-people’s script. President Buhari remains unshaken by the desperate efforts being made by Atiku and the PDP to blackmail the APC government. Everyone who was involved in corrupt practices would be brought to justice.

“PDP is not offering any alternative to the progressive course this government is pursuing. It is actually apparent that the party is not contesting the 2019 elections to redeem itself, least of doing any good for the country, but simply to seize power to escape justice for the grievous crimes committed against the people of this country.

“Nigerians won’t be fooled by the rapacious PDP gang. Never!”

A former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Imo, Air Commodore Peter Gbujie (rtd) has called on the people of South-East zone to massively support the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

Gbujie, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) on Thursday at Akabor Ahiazu Mbaise, Imo.

Gbujie is a Director in `Buhari/Osinbanjo 2019 Next Level’, a support group working for the re-election of President Buhari.

He advised the electorate not be discouraged over the media report attributed to some people from the South-West, claiming that their zone would take presidential slot after Buhari in 2019.

“For me, such report is a mere political strategy to weaken the Buhari’s support in the South-East.

“If our people fail to give massive votes to the president’s re-election, it will be used against our people in 2023.

“Our people should be concerned with what is before them now and that is, give massive support to Buhari’s re-election bid, because when we do that, it will enable us cross the 2023 political bridge with ease, “he said.

Gbujie also told NAN that Buhari/Osinbanjo 2019 Next Level’, a privately funded group,  had at least 200 members in each polling booth in Imo and other South-Eastern states.

“The Buhari/Osinbanjo Next Level 2019 is a support group funded by private Nigerians who believe in the ideals of Mr President.

“We are of the view that Buhari has made landmark, remarkable and key achievements that if consolidated, will place the country on solid footing in the next couple of years.”

He said that members of the group would soon begin door-to-door campaign to tell Nigerians on things Buhari had achieved in his first tenure and things he intends to achieve, if re-elected in 2019.

Gbujie said Buhari had done well in the fight against corruption and fight against insurgence in the North-East zone.

“When Buhari took over, there were several ungovernable spaces in the North-East, but today, the insurgents are not in control of any area, that is better way to measure security success.”