Gambari’s group to Amosun, others: give peace chance in Ogun

THE Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development (SCDDD) being coordinated by Nigeria’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Prof. Ibrahim Gambari,  has called on Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun and other stakeholders to “give peace a chance” before, during and after Saturday’s governorship election.

Members of SCDDD’s Council of The Wise, which were in the state for interactions with Amosun and other stakeholders ahead of the Saturday election, also advised the governor, opposition political parties and candidates standing for elections to “play the game by the rules”.

The group noted that Ogun State was one of the states, including Kaduna and Imo states, considered peculiar state in respect of the gubernatorial election, hence their coming to appeal for violence-free poll on Saturday.

Reading SCDDD’s paper for the media, which was signed by the body’s Executive Director, Ambassador Abdullahi Omaki, on behalf of the team which included ex-NTA broadcaster, Eugenia Abu, after separate interactions with stakeholders in the state, Prof. Oshita Oshita advised voters to be vigilant and ensure that their votes count.

Oshita also called on the security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be impartial, transparent and patriotic in their conducts regarding the governorship and state House of Assembly elections.

The government was advised to insulate the political and electoral processes from undue militarisation.

He said: “The council members’ interactive visit to Ogun State, in tandem with this philosophy, is to meet with critical stakeholders namely, the governor and ruling party in the state, the opposition parties and some candidates for elections.”