US Advises Politicians On Violence-Free Polls

The United States Government has called on Nigerian politicians and the electorate to ensure violence free elections next month.
The United States’ Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, who made the call during the launching of Eisenhower Leadership Series in Lagos, urged politicians to publicly take up the non-violence pledge.
Entwistle also urged politicians to state clearly in front of their fellow Nigerians that they will not condone, foment or endorse violence before, during or after the elections.
“Whenever I meet with representatives of parties, I ask them to publicly take the non-violence pledge. When I do that, I frequently get the response of something like, ‘well, of course, I would never instigate or call for violence but if my opponent starts it or if I’m not happy with the result, I may not have any choice’. That, my friends, does not constitute a legitimate non-violence pledge”, he said.
He advised politicians to adopt the inclusion and non-violence vision of Martin Luther King Jr for which he sacrificed his life and to which brave people all over the world still give voice, as they in the spirit of Dwight Eisenhower established peace and justice as two sides of the same coin.
Entwistle also assured that the US government will do everything it can to ensure that exuberance does not descend into violence.
“As the representative of a fellow democracy that is a great friend and partner of Nigeria, I look forward to your massive democratic exercise next month. I have no doubt that it will be boisterous, loud and hotly-contested, and that is all good,” he said.
He further urged all Nigerians who are eligible to vote to do so, because it is one of the most powerful weapons to effect change in the world.

Iragunima Benice