From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Gombe State has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of persecution, hence calling on security agencies in the state to ensure a level playing field for all.
The call was made by the gubernatorial candidate of the party, Khamisu Ahmad Mailantarki, while addressing newsmen shortly after signing a peace accord for the 2023 general election on Wednesday in Gombe.
According to him, the state governor who is the chief security officer in the state has made it almost impossible for his party to erect billboards or paste posters anywhere in the state. He said, “we been campaigning and calling for a peaceful conduct not among our supporters but all the political actors as well as.
“Our billboards and posters are being destroyed, vandalized and seized almost every time and anywhere we erect or post them in the state. So, the signing of a peace accord is good and very important, but I think the government and other stakeholders especially the Police and other security agencies should do more to ensure peace and security by providing a level playing ground for all.
“We are from Gombe and I think we are all after the development of the state, therefore we should all embrace the process of peace-building, Gombe was here before us and will continue to be after us all; let’s not put our interest ahead of the state.
I think politics is simple and easy because the people know us all; they know our backgrounds and what we do, we should campaign based on what we did when given the first opportunity,” Mailantarki said.
Meanwhile, the Resident Electoral Office (REC) in charge of the state office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Umar Ibrahim revealed that peace is an essential ingredient to the conduct of credible and acceptable elections and that it must not be compromised.
Umar who is also the chairman of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) added that, “campaigns cannot go on and voters will not turn out enmasse to exercise their franchise in an atmosphere of unrest, intimidation and harassment. An election is a right and no registered voter should be denied that right by any means. Therefore, it is very important that we commit to violent-free campaigns in the coming days and peaceful conduct during and after the elections”
He assured that the elections will be conducted for the presidential and 34 constituencies in Gombe state. He explained that elections to be conducted in Gombe comprised of gubernatorial, three senatorial districts, six federal constituencies and 24 state constituencies.
He said, “Every constituency is important. Every election is important. Therefore, the commitment to peaceful and issue-based electioneering campaigns and peaceful conduct during and after the elections should resonate beyond the party chairmen and governorship candidates present here today.
“It is not enough to talk about peace, one must believe in it and it is not enough to believe in it, one must work at it. Therefore, it is not enough to simply sign the Peace Accord. What is more important is to abide by its letter and spirit. You should similarly pass the message to other candidates in your party, members and supporters across the state for compliance.”