Updated: March 1, 2021
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, is holding its presidential and parliamentary elections from February 16, and already, tension is skyrocketing.
President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling All Progressives Congress and Atiku Abubakar, his main challenger and opposition candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, have already signed a peace accord, although both also avoided a face to face debate.
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Why it matters: Election violence in Nigeria is often triggered by attempts by one party or person to rig, or by the refusal of the population or the losing side to accept the election results. When that happens, politicians often exacerbate religious and ethnic devides to fuel more anger and triger chaos that eventually benefit them.
But in the Kogi West Senatorial District, a senatorial candidate is taking steps to prevent bloodshed and ensure only the right candidates, himself coming first, are elected into office.
The All Progressive Congress candidate in the forthcoming general elections in Kogi West, Senator Smart Adeyemi, told voters on Wednesday to shun violence and use their votes for the right candidates.
“I’m out to run this senatorial race with your prayers and support”, Senator Adeyemi said when he went to campaign at various Lokoja Local Government wards.
He promised to empower Nigerian youths and women if voted into office, and encouraged them to put their skills in agriculture.
He was accompanied on the tour by the Director General of his campaign organisation, Honorable Adoga Ibrahim, the APC House of Representatives candidate Alhaji Isah Wambai, the speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly and a host of others.
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