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By Chinelo Obogo
Civil society and media groups have called for restraint and peace as campaigns for the governorship election on March 18 heats up.
In a joint statement signed by Convener of Journalists for Democratic Rights (JODER), Adewale Adeoye, Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), David Ajetumobi, Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association, Segun Ajomole, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, (AYCF), Shetima Yerima, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Uche Okwukwu and many others, the groups urged politiicians to eschew hate camapigns and mudslinging which can heat up the polity.
“We, leaders of ethnic-based organisations, civil society, cultural, artisan and faith based community groups hereby assert that the anti-people policies of various governments in Nigeria has impoverished many Nigerians almost turning them to scavengers in their own motherland with dare consequences on social stability. That deprivation, exploitation and exclusion have continued to worsen the economic and social conditions of many Nigerians coupled, in recent times, with the subversive cash swap policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN which disempowers Nigerians and diminishes their humanity. That corruption, mismanagement and ineptitude of the ruling class continue to open up the seal giving rise to violent expressions of economic, religious and ethnic nature and that land, resource management, and allocation, exclusion of indigenous peoples remains a major source of friction across Nigeria. We recognise the rights of indigenous peoples as contained in the Universal Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples adopted in 2007 by the United Nations and other international instruments promoting the rights of indigenous peoples all over the world including indigenous peoples in Nigeria.
“Deprivation of indigenous peoples from social, political and economic rights, denial of access to ancestral land, evacuation and all sorts of anti-people policies are real and continue to undermine their livelihood and survival as a people.
“We recognise the unique history of indigenous towns and communities in Nigeria including in Lagos, Sokoto, Kano, Enugu, Nguru, Yenogoa being ancient dominion dating back to centuries with her own culture, history, heritage, spirituality and civilizations. We recoginse the infallible fact of history that in Lagos, the Awori, a sub-Yoruba ethnic group, having been acclaimed as the indigenous people of Lagos recognising also that Lagos State territories like Epe, Ikorodu and Badagry have their own indigenous peoples that have lived in these territories since the primordial times.
“The Nigerian constitution is clear on the right of Nigerians to seek elective positions according to the laws enshrined in the Constitution without hindrance leaving the choice to the electorate to decide out of their free, prior and informed consent. We are worried about the slide into hate and disdainful, provocative statements by political and social media actors some of whose actions are fueled by mischief, propaganda and conscious lies aimed at spurring ethnic violence and conflict across Nigeria.
“Our appeal goes to all Nigerians, especially in Lagos irrespective of faith, ethnicity and creed to sheath their sword and allow peace to reign. We commit ourselves to preventing violence and conflict before and after the gubernatorial election while any group or persons disturbed with the election outcome should seek redress in court,” the statement read.
