NOA tasks Nigerians on peaceful elections

Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr. Garba Abari, has urged Nigerians to shun election violence and thuggery ahead of today’s governorship/state assembly elections.

Abari made the call yesterday in Kano, during a media dialogue, to present a report on the agency’s interventions in the last week’s presidential/National Assembly elections.

He pointed out that Nigeria belongs to all irrespective of religion, tribe or ethnicity, adding that only God knows the reasons He made us of different tribes.

He said, “Jingles were sent out to traditional institutions, religious leaders, pressure groups and all relevant stakeholders to prevail on them to advocate for peaceful election.

“NOA had organised political parties summit on peace building, media engagements on sensitive reporting, as well as advocacy visits to traditional and religious leaders, to ensure a violent free election.

“Community mobilisation officers across 774 local government areas in the country visited markets, motor parks, traditional rulers, and religious worship centres, to enlighten them, on the need for violent free election.

“I’m calling on patriots, elder statesmen, and women to rise up and be counted. We must all be sensitive and careful about our utterances.

“NOA had invented a whistle blowing platform in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, to expose electoral corruption, in addition to sensitisation campaign against vote buying and selling, through social media platforms.”