From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
Ahead of the governorship and state House of Assembly elections holding on Saturday, March 18, stakeholders in Benue State have committed themselves to be civil and ensure that the elections hold in a peaceful atmosphere.
They made the commitment at a “Stakeholders’ Meeting on the 2023 Governorship and State Assembly Elections”, organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), in Makurdi, on Thursday.
The participants include political party leaders, candidates, security agencies, and civil society organisations among others.
Speaking during the event, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC), Professor Samuel Egwu, explained that the essence of the meeting was to engage all stakeholders in a conversation that is focused on a peaceful process for Saturday elections.
He stated that INEC has reviewed what was done in the last Presidential and National Assembly elections and discovered that there were lapses, “So we want to avoid a repeat of it,” he said
While representatives of the security agencies assured that they are ready to secure lives and property in Benue during the election, party leaders and their candidates said they are in the race to ensure that Benue moves to the next level and vowed not to breach the already fragile peace that is being enjoyed by residents.
In her remark, the candidate of the Action Democratic Party, (ADP), Roseline Ada Chenge said “as a woman, I stand for peace and I will make sure that peace reigns in Benue.
“I want to rule Benue where there is peace, I want to rule Benue where the life of human beings bares more than my ambition. So I commit to the peace accord and advise all the Benue people to go out and cast their votes in a peaceful manner.
The Governatorial candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, (NNPP), Prof Bem Angweh commended the INEC REC for convening the meeting ahead of the election.
Angweh, a former head of the National Human Right Commission, (NHRC), said he wishes that the election is peaceful but urged the commission to take steps to halt the false campaigns carried out by some political parties against the opponents.
The NNPP candidate who expressed displeasure over the circulated press statement that his party has endorsed the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Titus Uba, said such falsehood was not only unacceptable but capable of bridging the peace agreements as their supporters might not be able to control their emotions.
In the same vein, the candidate of the All Progressive Congress, (APC), Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, described the meeting as apt and coming at the right time.
He said ” Benue is the only state we have as home and we can’t settle for less or do things that can divide us. I have experience with smear campaigns but I know that when a fruit is ripe, it becomes an object of the target. I am ripe. I am seeking for leadership to uplift my state.
“But for the sake of our tomorrow, if you are a candidate, I invite you to see the need to help our state move forward. For our youths, let no party or candidate deceive you to take to the street to disenfranchise us, create a crisis, threaten us or make you lose fate in our security apparatus, in the INEC commission and the peace that Benue state was known for.
“I am confident that the Commission is providing for us a level playing ground. Let us be very civil enough. If our state was not broken, I wouldn’t be here to fix it. I am for peace, I represent peace and Benue must be peaceful. Let us be statesmen and let us exhibit statesmanship.
Alia and the other speakers urged the security agencies to ensure that there are no sacred cows but ensure that anyone who breaks the law is brought to book.