The joint body of the Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers and representatives of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops on peace and reconciliation, have jointly sued for peaceful, free and fair governorship election in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi States.
The statement was jointly released and signed by the Chairman, Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council , H.M.Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, CFR , Chairman, Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council,H.M.Igwe Amb L.O.C.Agubuzu,OON, Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha,Most Rev.Dr.Valerian M.Okeke and Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia,Most Rev.Dr.Chibuzo R.Opoko,TFG.
“On November 11, 2023, the electorate in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo States of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will go to the polls to excise their civic duties by electing the Governors of their respective states.
The Joint Body of South East Council of Traditional Rulers and the Representatives of the Igbo Archbishops and Bishops on Peace and Conflict Resolution (The Joint Body) hereby calls on all Nigerians to do their utmost to ensure that the elections take place in a free, fair and transparent atmosphere.
Compromise their conscience
This would enable the best candidates to emerge to lead the country.
“We beseech all registered voters to come out in full force to exercise their constitutional rights and responsibilities of voting for the candidates of their choice without fear or favour. We urge the electorates to resist any intimidation or efforts to compromise their conscience with cheap financial or material gestures that could provide momentary comfort but impoverish and compromise them for four years or longer through bad governance.
We remind the electorate, the political class, and candidates for elective office that they share the highest responsibility for strengthening the nascent democratic culture through their lawful conduct.
“We call on the leaders of all political parties and their candidates to remind their supporters, stakeholders, and party faithful, to commit unequivocally to non-violence and maintenance of peace during the elections and beyond.”
The group urged all religious leaders of Islamic, Christian and other religions, to admonish their faithful to be of good conduct as they perform their constitutional duties of participating in the electoral process in their numbers.
They reiterated that the security agencies have a solemn duty to guarantee the peaceful and free movement of people who come out to exercise their civic duties and prevent troublemakers from disrupting the elections, or attacks on the bases on ethnicity, religion or party affiliations before, during or after the election.
They equally urged that they devote particular attention to the already reported instances of insecurity, violence, kidnapping for ransom, shedding of innocent blood, and attacks on public buildings.
Flawless elections
The leaders also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rise to its statutory mandate in delivering a flawless election with all the technology and human capacity at its disposal and act to forestall illegal tampering with the election results.
The traditional and religious leaders further requested all Nigerians to pray towards guidiance to freely and transparently elect leaders in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States.
He called for election of leaders with vision, wisdom, courage, compassion, and the fear of God, to restore good governance and lead their states towards the attainment of their full potential to the benefit of their constituents, the electorate and to the glory of the nation.
Lateefah Ibrahim
