.

By Luminous Jannamike, Abuja

The Global Peace Foundation Nigeria has taken its campaign against electoral violence to motor parks in the Federal Capital Territory, where it requested a synergy with the National Union of Road Transport Workers to stop its members from being recruited as political thugs.

The Country Director of GPF Nigeria, John Joseph Hayab, during a sensitisation program at the Jabi Motor Park in the FCT, Abuja, said: “The motorists travel across the nation Therefore, by equipping them with skills to promote peaceful electoral processes, we will be making a great impact towards curtailing electoral violence in the forthcoming elections.

“In the same vein, many people travel across every part of the country from the motor parks. That is also why we are working together with the transport unions to sensitise the people to shun electoral violence in 2023.”

Also speaking, Mr Abdullah Ahmed, the Program Manager of GPF Nigeria, explained the essence of this campaign is to promote peaceful electoral processes.

“The situation in the country is very delicate and going by the past experiences, Nigeria witnessed post electoral violence in 2011 during which, we recorded a colossal loss of lives and properties.

“Today, the 2023 general elections are fast approaching. So, the Global Peace Foundation, Nigeria is collaborating with the Centre for Peace, Advocacy and Sustainability Development (CEPASD), to launch the Good Voices Against Electoral Violence Campaign in Jabi Moto park, Abuja with a view to sensitising the people youths around to promote peaceful electoral processes,” he said.

For his part, Igweshi Augustine, the Executive Director of CEPASD, said several studies have shown that most electoral violence was perpetrated by hoodlums who lurk around motor parks.

He added, “The political elites hire these youths to use them to carry out acts of electoral violence during elections. So, today, we are persuading them to understand that a fair election is possible in 2023.

“They should not allow themselves to serve as tools for thuggery during the elections, and they should imbibe peace.”

In his response, Mr Yau Saleh, the Booking Clerk of the Lafia/Makurdi route, who spoke on behalf of the transport workers, said, “We won’t sell our votes in 2023, because it is not good. We are all experiencing hardship in the country because of the bad electoral choices we made in past elections. That is why we don’t want to repeat the mistakes in 2023.

“We are also standing against violence during the elections. Similarly, we say no to ethnic and religious sentiments in 2023.”