Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon has besought security agents to make sure corps members deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) ad-hoc staff are kept safe throughout the duration of the elections.
He made the call on Friday, February 6, 2015 in Abuja while playing host to the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Brigadier General, Johnson Olawumi.
Gowon also cautioned politicians and political parties against inciting the public, as recent statements credited to some of them were unnecessary, which he said makes him feel sorry for the country’s political terrain. He therefore urged Nigerians to feel free to exercise their franchise as they had good candidates to pick from.
He said: “I hope they will caution some of their extreme supporters, who are making extreme statement that enrages the other side, and before we know what is happening, we are in trouble. We are great people in every respect; sometimes, the way we behave towards one another is unbecoming. I was outside the country, but when I came back, the briefing I received made me feel very sorry. Threat by various groups, accusation and counter accusation, that is not done, we should embrace one another.
“We have two good candidates and let it be that it is the people that decide, it is their votes that must count. Let us accept the final decision which is from the INEC, it is the only authority. I will say to all Nigerians to go ahead and vote freely. Let us have peaceful election so that we can do our country right.”
Nigeria’s war-time leader, Gowon admitted the pressure and anxiety preceding the election, pleading with political parties and politicians to do away with violence and trust INEC to conduct a hitch-free election.
“Yes! There are anxieties in various places; we pray that God will touch the mind of the evil intent. What we want in Nigeria is peaceful election, to be free and fair, and I appeal to all Nigerians, especially, the political parties and the leadership of those parties to make sure that all their supporters vote peacefully in that election.
“It is important that the nation has to have confidence in the chairman of INEC, if we start accusing each other, who do we want to be there, is it your own man or who? It is important to have peaceful election.”
