AUDA-NEPAD Wants Retired, Serving Security Officers Celebrated

African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development/African Peer Review Mechanism (AUDA-NEPAD/APRM) Nigeria has called on Nigerians to celebrate the retired and serving personnel of the armed forces and other security agencies by embracing violence – free approach to Nigerians’ individual or collective views.

In a statement signed by the media assistant to AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria, Abolade Ogundimu, the national coordinator/CEO of AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria, Princess Gloria Akobundu made this call in a goodwill message in commemoration of the 2023 edition of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day which was celebrated on Sunday, in honour of Nigeria fallen heroes.

According to Akobundu, “it will be recalled that the nation honours the fallen heroes every January 15, since the end of the civil war in 1970, there is also the need for the public to join the government in ensuring that internal crisis is avoided so that armed forces won’t have to lose personnel while addressing challenges.

“We salute the courage of our fallen heroes, but let us resolve to always come up with non-violent options while pursuing our individual or collective views for societal development.

That will go a long way in ensuring that our security forces and society will not be losing human and non-human resources to violence.

“As the 2023 general elections are fast approaching, we are urging the general public and other stakeholders to join us in our campaign for violence-free elections this year and beyond. Since the Electoral Act has been further strengthened to give confidence to the electorates and candidates. Let everyone peacefully participate in the electoral process.

“Let the public join hands with AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria and other agencies of government to ensure that violence is eschewed before, during and after the upcoming elections, as well as other programmes and activities in the country,” she said.

She commended the security apparatus of the state for their sacrifices and patriotism toward keeping the nation safe, urging them to continue to be professional and law-abiding while discharging their duties.

AUDA-NEPAD/APRM boss further said that in pursuance of its mandate of deepening democracy and good governance, AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria carries out sensitisation on violence-free elections before, during, and after every election in the country.

The agency started the process last year through interactions with the media and grassroots groups for a successful 2023 general elections.