Eschew violence, NPC urges electorate in Anambra

•Abdulsalami, Obi of Onitsha, Kukah in Awka 

Members of the National Peace Committee NPC, have called on the electorate in Anambra state to eschew violence during Saturday’s House of Assembly elections in the State.

The leaders of the committee, including former Head of State, Gen Abdusalami Abubakar,  the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev Mathew Kukah, and the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, made the call yesterday in Awka, Anambra state.

They also called for peace in other states where the Governorship and House of Assembly elections would be held in the country.

It was during a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Committee entitled ,” High-Level Dialogue on Peaceful Gubernatorial and state Assembly elections “

The joint address of Abdusalami and Kukah was  read by the Deputy Director, Administration of The Kukah Centre , Mr. Duke Anoemuah, while the Obi of Onitsha was represented Chief Okey Ononye.

The NPC leaders called on politicians, monarchs, the security agencies, civil society organisations, the media, and government to be committed to the peaceful conduct of the elections.

According to the addresses, “ We are here in Anambra state to extend to you the good people of the state an appeal made by the NPC for a peaceful conduct of election into the State House of Assembly scheduled for Saturday, 9 March,2019”

“Our distinguished candidates contesting elections in to the State Huse of Assembly are urged to eschew violence and hate speeches and strive to adhere to the peace accord which Leaders of the various political parties willingly assented to in Abuja in December 2018 and February 2019, before the Presidential and National Assembly Elections”

“ This Dialogue Forum is one in a series of interventions at state level jointly organized by the NPC and supported by the Department for International Development “

“The goal of this forum is to sensitize and mobilize stakeholders towards peaceful elections”

“It is expected to build initiatives, and take measures to strengthen a mutual confidence among stakeholders and political actors, and to encourage peaceful resolution of any election-related disputes with utmost regard to the rule of law and due process”