By Ebele Orakpo

KADUNA — Former Kaduna State Governor and civil rights activist, Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd), has described the National Assembly and presidential elections as free, fair, and praise-worthy. saying “Nigerians have disappointed our detractors who say we never can organise free, fair, and praise worthy elections.”

In a statement in Kaduna, Umar said the conduct of the two elections showed that the country’s democracy was growing, adding that the peaceful conduct of the electorate also proved that Nigeria has come to terms with civil governance.

He appealed to political leaders, especially the presidential candidates, to call their members and supporters to order and avoid actions that might overheat the polity and cause the nation to be mocked.

He said: “As leaders, they must know they will get the blame for any foolish actions their supporters take. The nation looks up to them and the world expects them to show leadership at this critical moment of our history.”

All Nigerians have an obligation to step forward and help the political leaders, the civil authorities and the security agencies maintain law and order in all parts of the country.”

In the same vein, Umar advised the eventual winners to be humble in victory and extend hands of fellowship to contestants that did not win. “ Let us finish this election in the same responsible manner we started it. And those who lose in this contest will do well to remember that another opportunity will become available some four short years from now.

They should ensure that nothing is done either by themselves or on their behalf to undermine or even destroy the fragile peace and stability we enjoy in this country today,” he stated. Continuing, he said: “Democracy will not be worth its price tag if major elections such as this pitch us against each other and make enemies of otherwise friendly neighbours. We owe a duty to make democracy work for Nigeria as it did for other nations,” he said.

He praised President Goodluck Jonathan for making good his pledge not to use his position and interfere with the work of INEC but to allow the Commission enjoy its law_given independence and also the INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega whom he said has unequivocally vindicated all those that have been swearing with his integrity.

Umar noted that while God would always anoint the leader, it is the people who will cast the votes to elect them. “For the office of the President, our founding fathers, in their wisdom, made additional laws requiring that candidates not only obtain overall majority of votes cast but to get at least 25% of votes in 67%  of the states of the federation.

This was designed to promote our integration into one big family and deny sectional or divisive candidates a place in the nation’s seat of power,” he said.