Northern Elders Council Tasks Buhari On Rancour-free Polls

A leading northern sociopolitical organisation, the Northern Elders Council (NEC), has tasked the federal government to handle situations leading to the general election with caution in order to ensure a rancour-free and transparent exercise.

It warned against the activities of those it described as non-state actors within the corridors of power, whose intents it noted are not just to feather their nests, but will stop at nothing to use their closeness to leadership to generate chaos and derail the electoral process, for their selfish gains.

The group also admonished the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to be wary of such elements.

NEC, which is led by 98-year-old elder statesman, Mallam Tanko Yakasai, enjoined Nigerians to be careful in their choices by not falling for the traps of groups and political parties running ethnic agendas as well as those parading candidates with the blemishes of corruption on their identity.

According to a statement issued at the weekend and made available to journalists in Abuja, NEC said, just like it has done in the past, it has taken stock of developments around the nation’s political space and would be joining forces with progressive elements to ensure Nigerians do not get it wrong at the coming polls.

The group, which said it sticks with the position of its leader, Mallam Yakasai, who had weeks ago expressed his support for the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said it would be making more policy statements on the state of the nation in coming days, after its next congress.

The statement, issued by NEC’s chairman, Mallam Yakasai, said, “NEC, at all times, will not shy away from its commitment to peace, unity, and stability of Nigeria.

“NEC’s power is invested in elected people who hold it in trust for the electorate. People who, out of consanguinity ties, friendship loyalties, or privileged proximity to elected public officials, abuse power, must be rejected and prevented from subverting the popular will of people’s choices during elections.”

“Corruption is not only about monetary and unfettered access to state treasury. It also includes peddling in influence by a handful of non-state actors in the corridors of power, seeking to foster chaos to derail democratic transitions, as enshrined in the constitution. We must resolutely reject that in this country.

“Northern Elders Council, under the leadership of Mallam Tanko Yakasai, in this regard, appeals to the Federal Government to be mindful of its onerous responsibility for organized, rancour free and transparent elections, as a lasting legacy in promoting the sanctity of democratic rule.

“NEC has made an unequivocal statement and principled declaration of its support for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its presidential candidate for the 2023 presidential election.

“The Congress of NEC will shortly meet and make public, more policy statements on the State of the Nation”, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the NEC has commended President Buhari for boldly professing his support for his party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Tinubu, during the APC presidential campaign rally in Lafia, Nasarawa State on Saturday, describing the outing as a masterstroke that will send the right signal, not just to the faithful of the ruling party, but to all Nigerians, allowing all to see that there are no cracks within the ruling party.