The Kaduna Peace Commission, has urged stakeholders to help prevent public disturbances during the 2023 general elections in the state.
Mr Saleh Momale, Executive Vice Chairman of the commission, made the appeal on Thursday in Kaduna at the Stakeholders Engagement on Conflict Prevention of Election Related Violence.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the programme was organised by the commission in collaboration with Community Initiative to Promote Peace (CIPP)
He said the engagements were to discuss and fashion out mechanisms by which campaigns and elections would be very peaceful.
Momale said that the stakeholders would also identify and discuss practical means and ways to ensure peaceful campaign and election
“We are sending messages to political parties and candidates to be mindful of their utterances and actions and to know that their aspirations would be best achieved under atmosphere of peace and harmony.
“We want this message to get very clear to all the stakeholders in the political space.
“We want to see the citizens of Kaduna state, particularly the youths being law-abiding, avoiding any action that will trigger negative reactions,” he added.
Momale appealed to all stakeholders to join hands in supporting the peace process, urging political parties to carry out their activities in a more peaceful manner
He said that stakeholders would review the ongoing campaigns and identify issues and challenges that had the potentials of threatening peaceful and harmonious coexistence.
According to him, at the end of the deliberation, campaign and election monitoring committee will be constituted.
“The committee will monitor campaign rallies, media statements, social media postings and other publicity items released by contestants and political parties to ensure that such statements are not inciting and provocative.”
On his part, Chief of Party, Mercy Corps, Mr Danjuma Saidu called for better relationship among communities
Saidu encouraged the stakeholders to learn from each other and share experiences so as to come up with a road map for successful campaigns and elections in the state.
In his remarks, Tahir Umar, Director General, Kaduna State Bureau of Interfaith, urged all citizens to shun religious and ethnic differences and work harmoniously to ensure successful campaigns and elections.
Mikaila Abubakar, Chairman of the state Inter Party Advisory Council, said they had already designed modalities on how the 2023 elections would be monitored.