Following tension being generated by declaration of the recent governorship election in Kano State, as inconclusive, some elders in the state on the platform Kano Concerned Citizens Initiative, KCCI, have pleaded with Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to rectify all the perceived challenges that characterized the two sets of elections of February 23rd and March 9th to douse the tension ahead of rerun election.
The group led the Presidential Candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention, NRC, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, warned that on no account should the state be set on fire because of personal ambition of individuals, urged INEC and its officials to be above board and avoid anything that could compromise the integrity of the rerun election.
At a briefing yesterday to express members’ worries over perceived tension in the state, Tofa, said “We strongly believe that all electoral staff must be told, in no uncertain terms, to be above board, and that anyone found to be wanting must receive the maximum sanctions provided for by the Electoral Act and the Constitution. Any act of commission or omission would be squarely placed on its (INEC) shoulders. Officials must be aware that such acts may be the difference between peace and violence in our state.”
Declaring that no acts of violence would be tolerated in the state, the group and while praising the efforts of the security agencies, he also called on them to do more during the rerun exercise as “it is arduous and daunting”.
Tofa called on the police to be apolitical and ensure that people from neighbouring states, not residents in Kano, from coming into the state to participate in the March 23rd rerun elections to forestall unnecessary tension or violence.
“Kano and Kanawa shall never allow our state to burn on the account of anybody’s vaulting ambition to lead or govern us” Tofa declared.
The group equally called on the youths to stay away from violence avoid being used to disrupt peace the state .
