‘We have no preferred candidate’

James Azania, Lokoja

 

AHEAD of the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State, Chairman, National Peace Committee (NPC), General Abdulsallami Abubakar, on Thursday in Lokoja said the committee has no preferred candidate in the November 16 poll in the state.

He reiterated the committee’s impartial disposition in its undertakings.

Abubakar made the clarification during the NPC dialogue/meeting with stakeholders on “Peaceful Conduct of Governorship Election in Kogi State,” organised by a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Search for Common Ground.

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The former head of state, who was represented by Rev. Father Atta Barkindo, noted that the need to allow peace to reign during the election necessitated the meeting with the stakeholders in the state.

He said that the committee was after peace before, during and after the election, stressing that all the stakeholders should avoid anything that would affect the election or create crisis in the state.

He, therefore, called on the people of the state to maintain peace before, during and after the election.

The Ohinoyi of Ebira land, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim, called on politicians to conduct themselves with decorum during the election.

According to him, violence during election does not help anyone, but it rather brings destruction and crisis for the people.

He called on INEC and security agencies in the state to remain unbiased during the election, stressing that the world was watching them.