Nigeria Content Online

A former military
head of state, Yakubu Gowon has asked political leaders whose supporters
are engaged in violence over the results of last Saturday’s
presidential election to call them to order.

Mr Gowon, who
described the eruption of violence in some parts of the country as
unfortunate, said it was capable of truncating the process of
transparent polls, which the country has witnessed in the last two
weeks.

“It is most
unfortunate and regrettable,” the former head of state said in a
telephone interview with NEXT yesterday. “Any true Nigerian with good
conscience will not allow that. This is happening even when the entire
result has not been fully announced and probably because they gathered
some information.

“It is regrettable
and uncalled for and I hope the leadership of those involved will do
something that will really curtail the madness that comes from the
reports that we are hearing. It is regrettable that this is happening
after such a very good election we have had in the last two weeks.”

Mr. Gowon said
although the entire result of the presidential poll has not been
announced, it is clear that “Nigerians have decided democratically what
they want.”

He said that he
had expected those that are losing to accept the outcome of the poll,
but “unfortunately there has been violence which marred the celebration
and joy that we are having free and fair election.”

No suspension

The former
military ruler argued that it would have been wrong for the Independent
National Election Commission (INEC) to suspend the announcement of the
result of the election because of the violence, warning that it might
create the unfortunate situation witnessed in 1993 when the announcement
of that year’s presidential election was suspended.

He said: “I don’t
see any reason why the announcement should be suspended as a result of
the action. But let us not prejudge what INEC will do. Those in INEC
know what to do but we should be careful so that what happened during
the 1993 presidential election is not repeated.”

Also speaking on
the uprising, former Senate President, Ken Nnamani asked the leaders of
those involved to quickly address them because their actions will not
benefit anybody.

“The political
leaders of such areas should quickly address their followers and tell
them that nobody stands to gain anything from any uprising,” Mr Nnamani
told us in a telephone interview.

“The profile of
Nigeria is rising as a result of the two elections so far and anybody
who tampers with this enthusiasm is not doing the country any favour.

“They should immediately address their supporters.

“People are happy with the progress and if there are errors in one or two places, violence will not make it to be better.”

He noted that
Nigerians are now aware that development starts from the ballot box,
adding that if the country must actualize the Vision 2020, emphasis must
be placed on educating the people.

Mr Nnamani, who
commended the corps members used for the elections for doing a good job,
warned that postponing the announcement of the entire result of the
election could fuel the crisis at hand.

“I don’t think it
is necessary, it will be postponing the evil’s day because most people,
by now, have known the result, but we want it to be official.

“Political leaders
should come forward and show the spirit of sportsmanship. The errors
some parties are complaining about are not substantial. I am not saying
it is perfect but we can build on this,” the former senate president
said.

On his part, the
chairman of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency
(PPPRA), Ahmadu Ali described the uprising trailing the presidential
polls as “primitive.” “What is happening is primitive. Just because a
party loses election people are going on rampage,” Mr Ali said in a
telephone interview.

The former
national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) called on the
presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) to
refrain his supporters from unleashing violence in the country if he
truly loves it.

“Buhari should
come out and make a statement if he truly loves this country. And I know
that he loves this country. I know Buhari. He should call his people to
order immediately. He has full responsibility on his head because to
take to violence is primitive,” Mr Ali said.

He also called for proper education of voters and supporters of political leaders, saying no religion believes in violence.