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Governors of the 36
states of the federation, at an emergency meeting in Abuja Tuesday
morning, expressed worry over the increasing rate of electoral violence
across the country, promising to work together to reduce it.

The meeting, which
was to discuss the rising level of insecurity and impending bills
before the National Assembly, was attended by only a few governors.

The Kwara State
governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Bukola Saraki,
told journalists at the end of the deliberation, which lasted for about
three hours, that the importance of security cannot be over-emphasised
in any successful poll.

“We are concerned
about the security, election guidelines and procedures. But by and
large, as governors, we are all committed to our position that we want
to win gallantly or lose gallantly. We are ready to accept results of
the elections, just as we preach issue of no violence in this election.
We are committed to our pledge to ensure transparent and credible polls
at our respective states and to let our supporters know this in the
interest of our great country,” he said.

The governors, in
their submission, however disagreed on a bill on the reduction in
personal income tax before the national assembly, which they said will
greatly affect most of the states.

“In as much as the
reduction in personal income tax will definitely affect many of the
states and that this is coming at a time we are having challenges about
minimum wage, we want to ensure that these policies are put in a basket
so that we address them at once,” Mr Saraki said. “We need to look at
issues of minimum wage, review of personal income tax and revenue
allocation. We agreed to look at these collectively and we are making
representation to National Assembly to look at these.” While governors
of Kwara, Kaduna, Zamfara, Niger, Anambra, Ebonyi, Adamawa, Edo and
Cross River were in attendance, deputy governors of Kogi, Yobe Oyo and
Jigawa States were also sighted.

Ekiti State
governor, Kayode Fayemi however said the state governors agreed on the
need to come together and fight against all forms of political
intolerance in Nigeria.

Be tolerant

Mr Fayemi, who
spoke with journalists at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos on his
way back from Abuja, said the state governors were concerned about the
need to protect the country’s democracy.

“I have just come
from a Council of State meeting where this was discussed and we all
agreed that it is in the interest of the country to eschew violence in
the forth coming elections and that all leaders, whether you are a
governor or the President, should do everything within their powers to
assist the security agencies and the electoral commission in ensuring a
free, fair, transparent, credible and violent free elections,” he said.

The country has recorded many cases of violence linked to politics as the general elections draw nearer.