Delta 2023: CSOs Call For Peace, Calm, Tell Youths To Shun Violence

"The time has come for all to look beyond those who practice Politics of the Stomach which most of our Political actors have been playing, and adapt to the system where the spirit of excellence and good governance will be promoted above mediocrity and self interests." Elder Edariese

.... Accept defeat and embrace the spirit of sportsmanship, after the outcome of Saturday, 25 February 2023 General Elections."

Civil Society Organisations, CSOs in Warri, Delta State today urged political  party leaders and stakeholders especially losers to accept defeat and embrace the spirit of sportsmanship, after the outcome of Saturday, 25 February 2023 General Elections and allow winners to be declared and made to assume office once a clear winner emerges at the polls 

The CSOs made the call at a press conference held in Warri today.

The Delta State Chairman of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR, Comrade (Elder) A.P. Edariese spoke on behalf of CDHR.

He said: "The time has come for all to look beyond those who practice Politics of the Stomach which most of our Political actors have been playing, and adapt to the system where the spirit of excellence and good governance will be promoted above mediocrity and self interests.

This has become necessary, so that we can, for once, begin the journey of nation building that will place us, shoulder to shoulder with some of the world's advanced democracies where excellence and good governance is promoted over mediocrity and bad governance and the time is now.

"Posterity will judge us if we fail to seize the opportunity this 2023 General Elections provided to us to get it right by voting the tight candidates who we can trust with the destiny of our nation this time around and when a clear winner emerged at the polls, the loser should be magnanimous enough to accept defeat to enable us experience what we collectively produce to lead us and by so doing and God helping us, we shall be better off and not regret why we did what we did to allow the man who won through the ballot lead us and not the man given to us through the Courts."

In a paper presented at the press briefing, the President of Value Reorientation Initiative, Pastor Sam Kofoworade sued for peace and calmness before, during and after the 2023 general election in nigeria just as he called on the political elites to stop heating up the polity, and disenchanting the electorates.   

He also called for a peaceful electoral process saying; "This is not too much to ask."

According to him, "We are tired of this endless violence, and note that, you can only know the beginning of the crisis, you don't know the end of it."

Amb. Ossai appealed to the political leaders to be honorable enough to stop making inciting statements that have the potentials to set this country ablaze. 

"Every leader should be responsible and responsive," he said.

"Peaceful electoral process is possible, good governance is possible. Take note, you are responsible for the peace or crisis you caused to happen."

Amb. Ossai also appealed to the youths that are being used for this violence to think more about a better Nigeria, rather than be a tool of destruction in the hands of politicians.

"Our collective fight is not with guns, cutlass or bow and arrows, our common instrument of war is our ballot. Violence only distorts the process of development, it lacks capacity to build growth."

The Director-General of Ernest Bebenimibo Foundation, Comrade (Amb) Ogaga Darlington Ossai also sued for peace and calm as he begged the political elites to stop heating the polity unnecessarily to becloud the judgement of the electorates.

"We take the opportunity to speak to the electorate.  Please let us embrace peace. Please remember that all the candidates have signed numerous peace accord, pledging to stand by the result or outcome of the election as long as it is free and fair. 

"You must understand that everyone cannot win at the same time. The winning of one candidate, indicates the losing of another. But Nigeria will win in the end, if we maintain the peace. 

"We charge you all to go out there, cast your votes, take time to monitor activities to ensure your votes are properly collated and transmitted but brace up yourself for the result."