The Yoruba Global Council (YGC) has condemned the recent and ongoing killings across the country, as well as called for immediate peace and harmonious co-existence as Nigeria and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) prepare for the conduct of the 2023 general elections.
The condemnation is contained in a statement signed by the group’s Spokesman and General Secretary, Prof. Lere Amusan, and Prince Segun Akanni respectively.
The group recalled as it has asserted in its previous press release, no election could be successfully conducted under an atmosphere beclouded by violence, conflict and senseless murders, adding that free, fair and credible polls can and will only see the light of the day under a peaceful and orderly ambience.
Following this, YGC called for a cessation of killings under whatever guise and implores the Buhari-led administration to rejig the country’s failing security architecture in order to effectively address these concerns.
In addition, YGC said in alliance with the spirit of true democracy as canvassed by the symbol of June 12, Chief MKO Abiola, urged the Buhari-led administration to ensure that the will of the Nigerian electorate is upheld and their votes counted during the upcoming general elections across board, noting that the sustenance of the democratic government through the transition process can only be orderly and acceptable if the electoral processes are in tandem with global democratic best practices and are adjudged free, fair and credible by both local and international observers.
Against this background, YGC said the FG, INEC, party chieftains and other critical stakeholders in the electoral process must play the game according to its rule by allowing votes of the voters count. More importantly, the Federal Government in particular must accord the issue of peace optimum priority and has to deploy all state machinery at its disposal to ensure that adequate security of lives and property is guaranteed before, during and in the wake of the 2023 polls.
On zoning, YGC enjoined the major political parties to thread softly and uphold the principle of rotational presidency in deciding who picks their presidential ticket.
“A scenario whereby another northern candidate will be announced as the next president of the country will be regarded as partial, unfair and unacceptable by southern Nigerians. How can Buhari, a core northerner from Katsina State, just round off his eight year tenure as president and another northerner is allowed to emerge for the same exalted office? Does it mean the country belongs to no one but the NORTHERNERS? At a time and moment when agitation for secession by other ethnic nations is daily gathering momentum and appears to be unstoppable, it would be foolhardy and preposterous for the political parties to zone the presidency to the north again.
“YGC hereby advises the two major political parties (PDP and APC) to work toward the emergence of southerners, especially from Yoruba extraction, as their presidential flagbearers and nothing other than this calculation will be accepted by the Council and other well-meaning individuals and self-determination organizations from the South. In this sense, the emergence of the former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is a bad omen for the unity and peace of the country and it is thereby unacceptable. YGC implores the party leaders and delegates to conduct a quick review into this matter”.
The group called on peace-loving Nigerians to continue to advocate for peace and be peaceful in their conduct ahead of the 2023 general elections and beyond. It also admonishes religious bigots, criminal elements and devil-may-care politicians to desist from any action or behaviour that may trigger violence, conflict and separation of the country.
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