2011:CAN urges political parties to shun violence

From BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Posted: Tuesday, March 29, 2011

SOUTH WEST zone chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria [CAN] has asked leaders of all the registered political parties participating in the April general elections to come out and openly denounce ''electoral violence''.
The Association in a statement in Ibadan signed by its President, Most Rev. Joseph Akinfenwa, emphasized that, as far as the coming general elections are concerned, ''electoral violence remains the major threat to its success''.
"We demand that leaders of all political parties come out openly to denounce electoral violence and to mandate all their followers and supporters to desist from any act of violence in the days before, during and after the elections.In other words, we ask our politicians to make a covenant with the Nigerian people that they will not instigate or condone violence of any kind; but rather discourage it even in the face of provocation." 'Most Reverend Akinfenwa said.
According to the South West CAN, Nigeria as a nation cannot afford to have its growing democracy to fail at this crucial period considering the huge funds already sunk into preparation for the elections by stakeholders especially the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He  observed that if the nation's political class are not careful  political parties might go down the drain if relevant authorities failed to address electoral violence appropriately.
"We join forces with well-meaning Nigerians to highlight the danger of electoral violence at this point in our national history and to call on all stakeholders, especially our politicians to esteem national interest above narrow, parochial interests and join hands to ensure peaceful, free and fair elections come April 2011,''he added..
Most Reverend Akinfenwa then urged security agencies in the country to intensify efforts to ''detect, contain and control violence, conducts during the election period and to be unbiased in the provision of security cover for all that require it throughout the election time,adding that failure of state security had often compelled a resort to private security arrangements which he said always lead to abuse of force.