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By Chukwudi Nweje
The Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy (CRPA), yesterday, hit the National Peace Committee led by former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, for “failing” Nigerians by not furnishing the citizenry with a post-2023 election report.
In a statement by Ifeanyi Okechukwu, CRPA stated that the two personal views expressed by Abubakar, firstly after he cast his vote on February 25, and secondly after the result was declared on March 1, returning Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as winner of the presidential election cannot be taken as position of the Peace Committee thus the need for the body to present a formal report to Nigerians.
Eighteen political parties signed two peace accords at the instance of the National Peace Committee prior to the election. In the first accord signed on September 29, 2022, the 18 political parties and their candidates pledged to shun hate speeches during their campaigns and also promised to discourage their supporters from doing the same.
In the second accord signed on February 23, 2023, they promised that they would accept the outcome of the elections or seek legitimate means of redress in the event of divergent positions.
Okechukwu noted that the failure of the Committee to make a formal statement on what Nigerians expect from the judiciary as aggrieved political parties seek redress at the Election Petition Tribunal is a failure on the part of the body.
“It is public knowledge that the National Peace Committee prior to the 2023 Election engaged political leaders on the need for a peaceful and credible election…It is a historic fact that elections hardly end with the declaration by the electoral body after voting. This is because almost always the last and final announcement is from the judiciary.
“It is disturbing that despite the avalanche of election petitions and likely far-reaching outcomes that could follow the decisions; the National Peace Committee has been quiet.
“It is public knowledge that the National Peace Committee led by General Abdulsalami Abubakar had prior to the 2023 Election engaged political leaders on the need for a peaceful and credible election.
“This led to the signing of a second national peace accord, a promise to ensure peaceful polls, and a pledge to accept the outcome of the elections. The still pictures and video of the event adorn several platforms on the internet.
“Regrettably, what is missing is a post-election formal statement of the National Peace Committee on the outcome of the election. In fact, only the Chairman had made personal statements which were ascribed to the National Peace Committee. The first such statement by the Chairman was after he voted, and the second statement was after the declaration of the result. It is surprising that there is yet to be any informed formal statement of the group on the election.
“It is a historic fact that elections hardly end with the declaration by the electoral body after voting. This is because almost always the last and final announcement is from the judiciary.
“Expectedly, the 2023 election has not been different. Presently, all major political parties are contesting the outcome of the elections. Without a doubt, the top of the engagements is the Presidential Election Petitions. Next in the echelon are several governorship petitions that are dotted across Nigeria.
“It is disturbing that despite the avalanche of election petitions and likely far-reaching outcomes that could follow the decisions; the National Peace Committee has been quiet.
“It is our considered view that the National Peace Committee has failed in a very crucial area concerning the elections. The failure to issue a statement on the role of the judiciary and what Nigeria expects from the judiciary is an inglorious statement on the process of election in Nigeria.
“Without a doubt, elections have three clear steps in Nigeria, and they are primary elections, general elections, and litigation on the elections. Of the three, the last is the most decisive.
“Accordingly, we call on the National Peace Committee to quickly address this gap in its engagements. It must be stressed that every Nigerian is looking up to the judiciary. What it means is that the National Peace Committee must be alert to its responsibilities. In other words, we are calling on the group to effectively focus its bright lights on the Judiciary because its actions or inactions can undermine the atmosphere of peace and stability that has been engendered by political actors keeping to the terms of the peace accord, they signed before the elections.”
