Pulse.ng : February 2023

Agency Report

By Moses Kolo

A Coalition of Arewa Youth and Student's Initiative (CASYI) urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to continue with the ongoing electoral process describing it as peaceful.

Mr Auwal Lawal, Coordinator of the Group spoke on Tuesday while addressing a press briefing at Arewa House, Kaduna.

According to the Group, it regretted the rather unacceptable actions an elder statesman who should help nuture Nigeria's democracy instead, resorted to deploying vulgar languages to discredit a peaceful process for selfish gains.

"It is imparative to commend INEC for conducting one of the free, fair and credible elections in the history of our democracy.

"The Commission has earned the accolades and encomium of well-meaning Nigerians and the international community since commencement of the entire process," Lawal added.

He, however, regretted recent outburst by public figures in the Country in respect to the exercise, adding, "it is sad to imagine that an elder stateman and a former president who supervised the worst election in the history of Nigeria, will have the courage to seek for the cancellation of this election.

"We therefore, appeal to each and every politician and politicians to allow INEC to exercise it's independence as enshrined in the Constitution," he said.

The Coordinator further explained that the Group had resolved to amongst other measures, urged security agents to place close surveillance on any individual or group working to destabilise the county and plunge the nation into anarchy through incitive utterances.

It also demanded that INEC should be allowed to continue with collation and announcement without interference nor intimidation from any quota.

"We the Arewa Youths are known to be law abiding citizens and will continue to identify with actions that promote the peace, unity and corporate existence of Nigeria," Lawal said.

He, then, commended the effort of President Muhammadu Buhari for ensuring Nigeria conducted an election devoid of vote buying through exchange cash and urged contending parties and their candidates to accept the outcome of the election results no matter who emerged winner.

Also, Mr Abdulsalam Kazeem, spokesperson of the Group in a remark urged aggrieved parties and candidates to instead seek redress through the legal mean than engage in activities capable of plunging the Country into disharmony. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)