If there is one thing that Nigerians, both home and abroad, have been united on in the past few months, it is the call for violence-free 2015 general elections. This would not come as a surprise to many Nigerians considering the violence that erupted in the northern part of Nigeria after the 2011 presidential elections that ushered in incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.
The post-election violence, which many Nigerians believe was incited by the opposition party which did not accept the emergence of President Jonathan as the winner of the 2011 presidential polls, led to wanton killings and destruction of property worth millions of Naira.
Ten Youth Corpers working for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were also killed. In an apparent bid to ensure that the tragic incidents are not repeated before, during and after next month’s general elections, the office of the National Security Adviser and Special Adviser to President Jonathan on inter-party affairs held a Sensitization Workshop on Non-Violence in Abuja on January 14, 2015.
The event, which was attended by former United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Anan, and former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Emeka Anyaoku, and leaders of Nigeria’s major political parties and their presidential candidates, was organised, among other reasons, to make all the political gladiators sign an undertaking to avoid actions that could promote violence during and after the polls.Seven presidential candidates including frontrunners, President Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, openly spoke against violence and committed to a peaceful poll.
Other political parties that signed the non-violence pact included the Action Alliance (AA), the Alliance for Democracy (AD), the United Democratic Party (UDP), the United Progressive Party (UPP), the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the Hope Democratic Party (HDP).
The event was a rare meeting between Mr. Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Mr. Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), since the public campaign for the crucial elections began with a flurry of attacks between the two sides.
The two men shook hands and embraced after delivering remarks renouncing violence.
While speaking at the event, Jonathan urged politicians to avoid actions and utterances capable of inflaming passion among the electorate.
If there is one thing that Nigerians, both home and abroad, have been united on in the past few months, it is the call for violence-free 2015 general elections. This would not come as a surprise to many Nigerians considering the violence that erupted in the northern part of Nigeria after the 2011 presidential elections that ushered in incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.
The post-election violence, which many Nigerians believe was incited by the opposition party which did not accept the emergence of President Jonathan as the winner of the 2011 presidential polls, led to wanton killings and destruction of property worth millions of Naira.
Ten Youth Corpers working for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were also killed. In an apparent bid to ensure that the tragic incidents are not repeated before, during and after next month’s general elections, the office of the National Security Adviser and Special Adviser to President Jonathan on inter-party affairs held a Sensitization Workshop on Non-Violence in Abuja on January 14, 2015.
The event, which was attended by former United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Anan, and former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Emeka Anyaoku, and leaders of Nigeria’s major political parties and their presidential candidates, was organised, among other reasons, to make all the political gladiators sign an undertaking to avoid actions that could promote violence during and after the polls.Seven presidential candidates including frontrunners, President Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, openly spoke against violence and committed to a peaceful poll.
Other political parties that signed the non-violence pact included the Action Alliance (AA), the Alliance for Democracy (AD), the United Democratic Party (UDP), the United Progressive Party (UPP), the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the Hope Democratic Party (HDP).
The event was a rare meeting between Mr. Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Mr. Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), since the public campaign for the crucial elections began with a flurry of attacks between the two sides.
The two men shook hands and embraced after delivering remarks renouncing violence.
While speaking at the event, Jonathan urged politicians to avoid actions and utterances capable of inflaming passion among the electorate.
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