From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has appealed to Nigerians in the areas slated for supplementary elections this weekend, to eschew violence and act prejudicial to orderly electoral processes.
In a statement he signed, the former Lagos State governor, urged the electorate to ensure that the electoral processes are brought to a final, peaceful conclusion.
He further maintained that the stakeholders must ensure that the additional polls are conducted not only freely and fairly, but also devoid of tension, acrimony and violence that will threaten the very fabric that hold the country together.
He also enjoined my members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and teeming supporters in the areas listed for the polls, to come out in their large numbers to cast their votes for the party’s candidates.
“As the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) holds Supplementary Elections across the country, I call on Nigerians in the areas slated for the polls to conduct themselves peacefully and eschew violence and any act prejudicial to orderly electoral processes.
“This supplementary election is as important as the first set of elections, the Presidential and National Assembly poll held on February 25 and the governorship and State Houses of Assembly election organised on March 18.
“As the last leg of the 2023 general election, we must ensure that the electoral processes are brought to a final, peaceful conclusion. I urge all Nigerians in areas where the additional polls will take place to eschew violence and conduct themselves in an orderly and peaceful manner,” the statement read.
Advising further, Tinubu warned that; “we should desist from acts prejudicial to the conduct of orderly polls or that will threaten the very existence of the country. It’s only when there is a country that aspirants to political offices can have seats to contest for and the electorate have people seeking their votes.
“Like the INEC officers, the candidates and the electorate, therefore, have a solemn responsibility in this election. They must ensure that the additional polls are conducted not only freely and fairly, but also devoid of tension, acrimony and violence that will threaten the very fabric that hold the country together.
“I must also use this opportunity to enjoin my APC members and the teeming supporters in the areas listed for the polls to come out in their large numbers to cast their votes for the party’s candidates.
“Our party members and supporters should vote overwhelmingly for APC to complement and solidify the victory we recorded in the earlier polls. This will no doubt help in the effective functioning of government at the federal and state levels for the benefit of our people.
“On this note, I wish INEC, all voters in the various polling units in these elections, the candidates and parties involved a very successful supplementary poll,” he quipped in the statement.