Ahead of November governorship elections, a civil society organization, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR) has charged politicians in Kogi state to desist from making provocative statements that can heat up the polity.
In a statement signed by the executive director of CHRCR, Comrade Idris Miliki Abdul, the CSO called on all stakeholders to stem the tide of inflammatory statements that can lead to political crisis in the state.
“As we move towards the November 16th governorship election in Kogi state, and as the conduct of party primary get closer, it has been observed in recent time in Kogi state, inflammatory statement, utterances through both electronics and print media by politicians of both sides and across board and more importantly on the social media capable of heated up the polity and aggravate electoral violence in the state is on the rise.
“The early warning signs indicate that there are internal and inter-party rivalry that could lead to electoral conflict that maybe dangerous to the political environment.
“We call on all aspirants and their supporters, political parties and their members to henceforth stop with pronouncement that can aggravate electoral crises in the state. They should realise polities is not a do or die affair and all hands must be on deck to facilitate the process that will lead to peaceful conduct of the coming governorship election.
“We call on the security agents particularly the Nigeria Police, to urgently organise meetings with all register political parties, and other relevant stakeholders that will look into and put machinery in place which will reduce, minimise or outright stoppage utterances, inflammatory statements that can aggravate the current relative peace ahead of the governorship election.
“We call on the media not to engage in sensational and speculative reportage as not to allow the politicians across board, not to take undue advantage of progressive and liberal media in Nigeria.
“We call on the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in general to collaborate and partner with relevant agencies and stakeholders in the task of organising free, fair, peace and acceptable governorship election,” the statement read.
