Elections: Conflict Mitigation Council Holds Stakeholders’ Meeting in Kogi State
Oluwakemi Jonah, Lokoja.
Counting down to the February 25 presidential election, the Conflict Mitigation Management Regional Council (CMMRC) working under the Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC) in collaboration with Community Peace Initiative has held a stakeholders’ roundtable meeting with a view to getting reports from the Community Peace Observers (CPOs) stationed in different local government areas in Kogi state.
This is coming on the heels of a training on their ability to identify areas which could be susceptible to any form of electoral crisis so that the Early Warning/ Early Response mechanism in conflict management can be put into place in such areas to forestall any future violence.
The Presiding Officer Malam Aliyu Zakari during the meeting charged the Community Peace Observers (CPOs) to do all they can to institutionalize peace in the communities, as he is hopeful that the forthcoming elections will be void of any form of violence.
The CPOs through their reports identified some communities in Lokoja and Iyaba East local government areas that could be prone to conflicts during the general elections, hence the CMMRC’s decision to quickly take measures that will guarantee uninterrupted peaceful elections in Kogi state and Nigeria at large.
Present at the meeting was the traditional ruler and royal father, His Highness Kalid Alibuka the second, who is also provost, Kogi State Council of chiefs.
He offered prayers for the peace of the nation and thereafter advised mothers and citizens to be watchful.
‘Sit your children at home, especially those that do not have PVCs.all schools are on vacation now for the purpose of elections. If you know your daughter or your son does not have PVCs, sit them at home.
‘If your polling unit is the same, accompany them to the polling unit and immediately after the election, you lead your children back home, especially the youths.
‘We should not take law into our hands. We should just be free in everything that we are doing before elections, during elections and after the elections. We should just be careful because once life is gone, it is gone forever,’ the traditional ruler advised.
The CMMRC is working in collaboration with the Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC) to make sure communities are at ease regardless of their tribe and religion, promoting peaceful coexistence among citizens before, during and after elections.
Edited by Amaka E. Nliam
