Respect peace accord, EU tasks political parties, candidates
Political parties participating in today’s governorship election in Kogi State have been asked to translate the peace accord into reality, insisting that the legitimacy of any democratically elected leader hinges on a credible election.
European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and Head of the European Union delegation to monitor the Kogi State governorship election, Ketil Karlsen, urged the electorate to come out in good number and vote the candidate of their choice in today’s election.
According to him, in any democracy, the election should be about the competition of idea and serving the people, urging that vote-buying should be discouraged during the election.
On the issue of inclusivity, the EU says they look forward to an election that would reflect the various demographics in the society, and underscores the protection of women, youths and all electorate during the polls.
The EU appealed to security agencies to maintain neutrality in the discharge of their duties and within the framework of the electoral laws, described the Kogi State governorship election as critical, coming immediately after the general election.
He asked that the lessons of the general election should guide the conduct of the state election, noting with concern the tension and incidences that have characterised the run-up to the election.
He said he would want lessons learned to put into practice.
Karlsen pointed out that the EU, UK, Germany, Switzerland and Austrian Embassies have no candidate in the Kogi State governorship election, said the importance attached to the election by the EU is to deepen democracy, described the off season election as important milestones for the consolidation of the democratic process.
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
0 Comments
We will review and take appropriate action.