The Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA) has joined other members of the Nigeria Civil Society Groups in appealing to all contenders in the recently concluded local government primaries of All Progressive Congress (APC), to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship.
HURMA mad the appeal during a press briefing convened by the Civil Society Initiative in collaboration with Somolu community stakeholders, which is aimed at addressing recent developments following the outcome of the Local Government primaries in Somolu.
Spokesperson of the Civil Society, Comrade Buna Olaitan Isiak cautioned on the attempt to incite religious violence, chaos or unrest as a reaction to the election outcome.
“In every democratic exercise, there must be both winners and losers. However, it is crucial that all actors, especially the aggrieved respond with maturity, democratic ethics, and sportsmanship.
“We condemn any attempt to incite violence, chaos, or unrest as a reaction to the election outcome. Democracy provides structured avenues for redress. Any candidate or stakeholder dissatisfied with the process should pursue legitimate procedures through the party’s internal mechanisms and the judicial system, rather than resorting to incitement or threats.
“Let us also clarify that the election process was thoroughly observed by civil society and human rights organizations, who have affirmed that the primaries were conducted within the agreed framework of the APC arrangements. Their investigations revealed no evidence of ethnic or religious bias in the conduct of the primaries.
“We note a letter circulated by an Imam expressing personal concerns. While we respect the right to free speech, we must emphasize that this letter represents a personal opinion and has been disowned by the broader Muslim community in Somolu. Attempts to use such expressions to stoke religious tensions are not only misleading but dangerous.
“It is disappointing that some aggrieved parties have attempted to introduce religious sentiment to challenge the outcome of a democratic process. Such actions are detrimental to the peace and unity of our community.
“We therefore urge all APC members and political actors to avoid dividing our community along religious or ethnic lines. Politics should never override our shared values of coexistence, harmony, and mutual respect.
“We commend the leadership of the Somolu Local Government for the calm, fairness, and maturity displayed during this period, and for maintaining peace and order in our community.
“As a step towards reinforcing our collective commitment to peace and democracy, we are organizing a Joint Peace and Democratic Order Rally.
“This rally is an opportunity for all civic-minded individuals to stand together in defense of democratic values and peaceful coexistence.”
