From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja

As Nigeria goes to the polls on March 18 for governorship and state legislative elections, the National Peace Committee (NPC) has called for calm.

The Chairman of the National Peace Committee, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, in a statement issued in Abuja, said the call was necessitated by the open threats of intimidation and violence by certain elements within the society who are using ethnic and religious labels to achieve their intentions of voter suppression.

The former head of state stated that the National Peace Committee is following up with the same appeal that it made ahead of the presidential elections on February 25th, 2023.

He added that the Peace Committee understood and appreciated that these are trying times for the country and its citizens.

Abubakar said: “Presidential elections have come and gone. However, problems have arisen from the process of the collation, transmission and release of the final results. This has generated the crisis that we now find ourselves in. Notwithstanding all this, we are pleased and encouraged by the matured attitudes of the candidates who contested the presidential elections.

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“We are encouraged by the restraint they have exhibited and their commitment to seek justice through due process. This is in keeping with the spirit of the Peace Accord. We, therefore, appeal to the supporters of all the parties and our citizens to please follow the good example of their leaders and remain law abiding till the process is brought to an end.

“This weekend, on March 18, 2023, the second round of elections for the governorship and state assemblies will be conducted. We are worried by the open threats of intimidation and violence by certain elements within the society who are using ethnic and religious labels to achieve their intentions of voter suppression.

“We appeal to the security and law enforcement agencies to remain alert and to bring to book, anyone, no matter their position in society, who poses a threat to the peaceful conduct of the elections. We encourage all citizens not to be intimidated and to go out and exercise their God-given rights.”

On behalf of the Peace Committee, Abubakar expressed gratitude to peace-loving Nigerians, including the security agencies.

He prayed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will do everything possible to ensure that the elections are peaceful so as to gain the confidence of citizens.

“May Almighty God bless our country and bless you all,” Abubakar prayed.