2019 elections must not destabilise Nigeria, Ezekwesili warns

The Presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, has urged politicians to avoid making statements capable of destabilising the country before, during and after the 2019 general elections.

Speaking at a summit on ‘Violence-free Election’ organised by the Presidential Summit Centre in collaboration with the Forum of Presidential Candidates in Abuja on Saturday, the former Minister of Education said President Muhammadu Buhari must lead by example.

She said, “The idea that our election should end up destabilising the country is not something that  I will ever subscribe to.

“We want Nigerians to send that strong message to President  Buhari that he has to be the exemplary leader that will ensure that our elections  do not end up taking our country and our people down.”

Ezekwesili warned against using the military, the police and para-military agencies to intimidate, oppress and disenfranchise Nigerians during the elections.

She said, “The government, especially the President as Commander-in-Chief needs to be very careful to not abuse his office by making the military, the police and civil defence, complicit in election malpractice. We saw something that was obviously a dress rehearsal in Osun and Ekiti states.

“It is important that we should come together before the elections to agree on the rules of the game as far as the use of the military, the police and civil defence are concerned.

“We do not want a situation where the military is actually carrying out a coup through the back door, because anytime the military or civil defence,  acting the name of security,  disenfranchise citizens, that is a civilian coup. That is a coup through the back door. None of us must accept that.”

The convener of the summit, Zahrah Mustapha-Audu, said it was imperative for Nigeria to organise credible elections in 2019.

Credit: The Punch