By Abdallah el-Kurebe
The Federal Government “has sent emissary to tell Emirs to support postponement of the elections”,Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Wamakko has revealed.He said this while hosting United Nations (UN) Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohammed Ibn Chambas in Sokoto.
Wamakko urged the UN to, “Speak loudly to prevail on the FG to conduct not only free and fair elections but also for the elections to be conducted as scheduled. As it is now, FG has sent emissary to tell Emirs to support postponement of the elections” .Our reporter wrote that while disclosing this, Wamakko was “visibly angry.”
The (UN) Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Ibn Chambas called on the local, state, federal governments and all Nigerians to be mindful of their roles and ensure the conduct of credible elections.
He spoke during a courtesy visit on Governor Aliyu Wamakko at his residence in Sokoto on Saturday.
According to Chambas, “Nigeria must conduct credible and transparent elections and as such we must be mindful of our roles both as leaders and citizens. As leaders, we should disappoint the prophets of doom by not allowing violence.”
He stressed that Nigeria being the largest economy in Africa with more than 80 percent of the GDP of West Africa must set and maintain good record.
“Nigeria should be seen conducting a peaceful and violent-free elections. And for this to happen, you must act responsibly. INEC must manage the electoral processes well; the security agencies must ensure that they operate in unbiased way. Leaders must send the right messages,” Chambas said.
He said that the UN was concerned about the February election and insurgency. “Nigeria is confronted with the Boko Haram Monster about which the UN is concerned.”
Responding, Governor Wamakko expressed his happiness for the international community’s concern for Nigeria. “Nigeria is too big a country to be ignored by the international community.”
He however said that the UN should prevail on the federal government to ensure that election was conducted as scheduled.
On security, the governor the main problem of Nigeria was bad leadership, “which informed the formation of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
“For about four years since Boko Haram struck, only last week did the President deemed it fit to visit Borno. This is a sign of bad governance,” he said.
He advised that neighbouring countries should continue with the alliance that they had formed in order to fight Boko Haram.