By Olanrewaju Ajao The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has advised Nigerian politicians to stop the use of “hate speeches” that are heating up the polity ahead of the March 28th and April 11th elections.
Fielding questions from State House Correspondents after meeting with the President on Monday, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Mrs. Salamatu Suleiman, said the kind of statements being made by politicians were not good for the polity.
She said the ECOWAS observer group also noticed challenges in the distribution and collection of Permanent Voter Cards.
“One of the issues is that our long term observer missions said there was a lot of hate media, hate speeches bring distributed. It was not good for our polity which was heating up the polity. And the President has spoken to all stakeholders to look into lessening this aspect in the electoral process and I think it is an aspect the media can help greatly in addressing.
“This is a very important election for Nigeria; Nigerians are concerned, ECOWAS Community is very much concerned that it all comes out very well and that we all owe it as a duty to say very positive things that can move this nation forward,” she said.
Earlier in his comments, the ECOWAS Commission’s President, Kadre Desire Ouédraogo, said the body set up a fact finding mission led by the former Ghanaian President, John Kuffour to study the political situation in the country.
Despite the postponement of the election, Ouedraogo said the Commission found it necessary to discuss their findings with leading political gladiators in the country prompting to their resolve to meet with Jonathan, Buhari and other notable presidential candidates in the country ahead of the general election.
Similarly, Santiago Fisas, Chief Observer, European Union (EU), also told newsmen that he had a useful discussion with the President on the conduct of the general election.
Fisas expressed satisfaction that Jonathan assured him and his team that the inauguration of the next President would take place unfailingly on the 29th of May.
He said “I’m very happy to be assured that by the President that the inauguration of the next president will take place on May 29th. I think this is very good news because this is constitutional”
On whether he doubted what Jonathan told him, the EU chief observer said
“I don’t see why I should doubt that. The President said that publicly and also to us. We asked questions on security and he said to us that in a very short period of time the security situation will improve a lot.”
But, Jonathan was said to have used the opportunity of the meeting with the EU delegation to say that those alleging that his administration was planning to put in place an Interim National Government (ING) were only being mischievous.
The President reportedly told his guests that he would not take such step because ING is alien to the nation’s constitution.
