FG Warns Politicians Against Inciting, Inflammatory Utterances …Says Buhari To End Undemocratic Culture With 2023 Polls

With the 2023 general election drawing closer, the Federal Government has cautioned politicians in the country to desist from making inciting, inflammatory and unguarded utterances capable of fanning embers of discord amongst the populace.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, sounded the note of warning, yesterday, when he said the Federal Government is leaving no stone unturned towards ensuring a hitch-free election in 2023.
Malami noted that supporting a fair, credible and violence-free electoral process in the country was one of the cardinal themes of the Federal Ministry of Justice National Policy on Justice 2017.
The policy, which was still in force, Malami said, was signed on September 20, 2017.
He said it expresses worries about and seeks to address the impunity for crimes regarding some election-related violence and malpractices especially the failure to hold perpetrators accountable.
“Let us join hands in making sure that all campaign utterances are humane and in conformity with global best practices, thereby contributing to a violence-free electoral process”, the AGF said.
Malami spoke at a 2-day seminar on the 2022 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, with the theme: “Media, Civil Society and Violence-free Election in Nigeria”.
The AGF stated that as the 2023 general election in the country approach, the role of journalists in the democratic transition cannot be over emphasised.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government was committed to bringing to an end these undemocratic and uncultured activities with the coming 2023 elections.
Malami hinted that the feat would be achieved through the administration of legally justifiable approaches to the perpetrators to serve as deterrence to others.
More than 500 media practitioners from various media organisations in the country are participating in the 2-day event.
He noted with happiness that the federal and some state governments have taken precautionary and proactive steps in taming the tides of undemocratic culture and activities.
He renewed his call on those still involved in the electioneering process to appreciate the fact that political activities are to be observed in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Law.
Malami requested them to join hands in making sure that all campaign utterances are humane and in conformity with global best practices, thereby contributing to a violence-free electoral process.
“As the 2023 election campaign gathered momentum, we chose the theme of this celebration to revolve around ‘Media, Civil Society and Violence-free Election in Nigeria’.
“This proactive engagement has the objective of enlightenment to shun electoral offences with the sole intention of making healthier processes at all levels of electioneering campaigns.
“It is important to note that recent developments in Nigeria proved that the Federal Government has laudable initiatives to end impunity for crimes against Nigerian citizens.
“Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) report says Nigeria was the only country to get off the index of nations with impunity for crimes against journalists in 2020.
“The 2020 global index for impunity for crimes against journalists by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), released on Wednesday, November 28, 2020, indicated that Nigeria is the only country that came off the index from 2019.
“This achievement is not unconnected with deliberate and committed efforts of the President MuhammaduBuhari-led Federal Government through the implementation of many reforms in the Nigerian justice sector to include increased access to justice, speedy justice dispensation, decongestion of Nigeria’s correctional centres and judicious implementation of the Criminal Justice Act.
“Let me express our appreciation to our partners; the Management Conflict in Nigeria (MCN) programme of the European Union supervised by the British Council and the Kano State Government under the able leadership of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for their support to this programme”.
The AGF urged the participants to make the best use of what they stand to gain by the careful selection of eminent scholars, practitioners and experts in various related fields, adding that his office would expect recommendations from the policy dialogue for use.