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From Ndubuisi Orji
A group of elder statesmen, on the aegies of National Coalition for Peace and Unity ( NACOPU), has commenced moves to douse tension, in the country, ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The group, which consists of former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; former Anambra State governor, Chukwuemeka Ezeife; former member of the House of Representatives, Cairo Ojuogboh, at its inaugural, on Tuesday, in Abuja, said its objective is to take pre-emptive measures to de-escalate crisis and promote the unity of the country in the aftermath of the February 25 polls.
Nnamani, who is the national chairman of the group, said it is imperative for politicians to be able to speak frankly to themselves in the course of the elections.
According to him, “I appeal to people that we don’t have any other country. Nigeria is so blessed, our natural endowment is not in question, not many countries get close to us but the challenge is what we make out of it. We have every reason to make the best out of it both material and human.”
Ojuogboh, who is the Secretary General of the group, said there is need for leaders across the country to begin to talk with youth before, during and after the presidential election, on the need to toe the path of peace, irrespective of the outcome of the contest.
The former lawmaker stressed the need for contestants to emulate former President Goodluck Jonathan, who conceded, in the 2015 general elections, even before the official declaration of the results. He stated that singular act saved the country from a big crisis.
According to him, “we want our elders and leaders to begin to look at what is going to happen during the general election. We are looking at pre election, during the election and post election. The reason the leaders have decided to gather is to make sure that we begin to educate our youths and our leaders who are the participants in this coming elections.
“We must advise them not to incite vs their followers. If leaders behave like former president Jonathan behaved, he was looking at the election, result has not even been announced and he threw in the towel, that was exceptional and after that election there was no crisis. If he had contested that result crisis would have started immediately and that was examplary and that is the situation we expect.
“The youths must be made to understand that what you see on the social media might not be actually what it should be or what will be. After the election we must tell leaders and their followers that if you do not have peace, if there is problem, crisis you will not be able to to make a Governor. If you are a governor you will not be able to govern. So the need for peace is sine qua non for the existence of the country. “
