2015: Lead by example- APC tells Jonathan

Lai Mohammed

The All Progressives Congress on Thursday asked President Goodluck Jonathan to live up to his words by ensuring that the 2015 elections are free and fair. The APC, in a New Year message by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, expressed satisfaction that the President and the Peoples Democratic Party had come out publicly to join the APC in pledging commitment to successful and violence-free polls next month.
“We welcome the stated commitment of President Goodluck Jonathan, in his New Year message, to conduct free, fair and violence-free elections this year but urge the President to match the commitment with action,” the APC said.
The APC, however, said the best way to make the elections free, fair and devoid of violence was for the Federal Government to ensure a level playing field for all the parties and not negate the operations of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
It also warned the President not to use security agencies to oppress the opposition and not disenfranchise all those qualified to vote.

The APC said, ‘’In a statement we issued on December 28, 2014, we assured Nigerians that we will do everything in our power to make the 2015 elections violence-free. Since then, the PDP National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu and the President have joined us in making similar pledges. This is a welcome development that will gladden the hearts of our citizens who are very apprehensive about the forthcoming elections.
“If an election is free, fair and transparent and seen to be so by all, it will be easy for all concerned to accept the outcome, and there will be no violence. Violence only occurs when there is a realisation that the process has been skewed against some and in favour of others.”
The party restated its pledge to Nigerians and the international community that it would do all in its power to make sure that the election was violence-free.
“We also restate our stand that even with the little time left for the election to hold, a meeting of the leadership of the two main political parties, the APC and the PDP, will send a powerful message to our compatriots and, indeed, the international community in dousing the tension that is building up ahead of the election,” the APC added.
Source: THEPUNCH