- Former chairman of EFCC, Farida Waziri, has warned Nigerian politicians ahead of 2019 general elections
- She said that the country needs peace and unity to have a successful elections in 2019
- The ban on electioneering campaigns and other political activities would be lifted by the INEC this week
Farida Waziri, a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has warned Nigerian politicians against making hate speech or causing violence ahead of 2019 general elections.
The Sun reports that she also urged political leaders, especially those seeking elective positions to prevail on their supporters and followers to eschew violence in any form, as campaigns for various elective positions begin this weekend.
Legit.ng gathered that Waziri, who spoke while fielding questions from newsmen on the sideline of an event in Victoria Island, Lagos, at the weekend, said the country needs peace and unity to have a successful 2019 elections.
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She said: “For me, I believe the elections will hold as scheduled. My only concern is the level of toxicity in the statements of some political leaders. This is not really good for the polity, especially now that election campaigns will formally begin in a matter of days from now.
“So, this is the time for every patriotic political leader, especially those aspiring for offices and who will be going round to mobilise the people, to avoid hate speech capable of inciting their followers and supporters into violence.
“We cannot afford to set the country on fire with our words, because if the nation is set ablaze and the people are killed, there is no other Nigeria in Europe, America or Asia to call our country, and there will be no citizens to lead or govern.
“I think the people will be more interested in the plans, programmes and agenda for them than toxic words that breed violence.”
She said the country has lost too many innocent souls to violence in some parts of the country in the recent past and cannot afford to waste more human capital in the name of political campaigns and elections.
“It is a good thing that the recent spate of killings in some parts of the country is subsiding now, our political leaders owe the masses the duty to maintain the peace so that we will not have to witness election-related bloodshed, which may have more devastating effect on the socio-economic and political development of the country,” she added.
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Speaking on why integrity should be a major parameter for electing the next set of political leaders for the country, the former EFCC chairman said that could not be discountenanced if the nation is serious about rapid growth and development.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III and president, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle, on Tuesday, September 18, in Abuja signed peace pact to ensure peaceful atmosphere before, during and after 2019 general elections.
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Source: Legit.ng
