BE WARE OF 2019, SAYS ABDUSALAMI ABUBAKAR
ABDULSALAMI
ABUBAKAR WARNS AGAINST 2019 ELECTION
General Abubakar, who is also the Chairman of
the National Peace Committee, gave the warning during an interview on Channels
Television.
“Let us do the right thing and ensure we do
not endanger the lives of citizens of this country in trying to avoid violence
during the election,” he said on the latest edition of Question Time which aired on
Thursday.
He added, “And let us campaign on issues and
not on personal (basis). I believe these gentlemen who are front-runners are
decent people who will avoid violence, who will not allow their followers to
take to violence.”
The former Head of State’s interview aired
following the signing of the peace accord by President Muhammadu Buhari, and
former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, among other presidential candidates.
Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili,
as well as former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, were among
candidates that have signed the agreement.
Speaking further about the forthcoming
elections, General Abubakar says he is in no ‘tight corner’ amid claims that
two of the candidates are considered as his political associates.
According to him, the political elites must
ensure they put the interest of the nation first before considering their
respective local government areas or states of origin.
The peace committee chairman, thereafter,
advised the political parties and persons contesting in the elections to
refrain from the politics of bitterness and the use of abusive language.
He said, “We are too happy with how the
campaigns are taking place. We want to make sure that the campaign should be
focused on issues, not on personalities.
“A party has a manifesto; candidates should
try to sell the manifesto of his party.”
“What we have seen of recent is that some
people have started using some abusive languages, people carrying weapons, big
sticks and so on. And I think this has no role in democracy,” he added.
General Abubakar said the committee would
remain committed to bringing harmony and sanitising the nation’s political
system.
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