Religious leaders in Gombe state on Wednesday, pledged to support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) toward ensuring free, fair, credible and peaceful general elections in state.

Former Chief of General Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe; Chief Imam National Mosque, Ustaz Musa Mohammed and the President Christian Association of Nigeria, Bishop Ayo Oritsejafor during the exchange of Presidential Guards as part of events to mark the 51st National Day Celebrations at the State House, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida.

The religious leaders gave the pledge during an interactive session with INEC on the conduct of the scheduled general elections.

Rev. Bullama Samuel, Secretary Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), said as religious leaders, they had to go back to churches and mosques to continue sensitising their followers for successful and peaceful general elections.

He commended INEC for the job well done on the level of preparation for the forthcoming exercise in the state and assured that they would key in, especially in encouraging voters to collect their Permanent Voter Cards.(PVCs).

Samuel called on the security agencies to do more in checking instances that might result to crisis during election and the consequences on worship places.

Alhaji Muhammad Pindiga, Assistant Secretary,  Jamatul Nasril Islam (JNI) Gombe state assured that the faith body would continue to sensitise its followers, at all levels, for INEC to achieve its objectives.

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He commended INEC for introducing special consideration for the elderly, pregnant women and persons with disabilities during the election period.

Pindiga said the election would be conducted peacefully,  going by the effort of INEC and all stakeholders in the state.

Alhaji Umar Ibrhim, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, said the interactive session was to solicit support of the religious leaders for the success of the general elections.

He called on them to preach to their followers on the dangers of vote buying and violence during election.

The REC said that vote buying was not good for the development of democracy, hence the need for religious leaders to understand and preach same to their followers.

According to him, selling votes is selling the future of the family, community, states and the country at large.

He said those that bought votes and won elections might not come back to contribute to the development of their people until after four years.

Ibrahim, commended religious leaders for their contribution to the commission and called on them to continue, adding that INEC could not do it alone.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commission, earlier in the morning, held similar exercise with traditional rulers in  the state (NAN)