Group flays Abubakar Peace Committee for failing to make statement on election result
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Silence from the National Peace Committee (NPC) headed by former Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar in post-election advocacies has been criticised by the Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy (CRPA).
CRPA Head Ifeanyi Okechukwu expressed regret that while the NPC was active before the election, it has been largely inactive since the election was held in February and March.
“Regrettably, what is missing is a post-election formal statement of the National Peace Committee on the outcome of the election.
“In actual fact, only the chairman had made personal statements which were ascribed to the National Peace Committee. The first of such statements by the chairman was after he voted, and the second statement was after the declaration of the result,” Okechukwu said in a statement.
“It is, thus, surprising that there is yet to be any informed formal statement of the group on the election. It is a historic fact that elections hardly end with the declaration by the electoral body after voting.
“This is because almost always, the last and final announcement is from the judiciary.”
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Failure of NPC to speak on critical issues
Okechukwu said despite the avalanche of election petitions and likely far-reaching outcomes, the CRPA has been quiet, per Vanguard.
“It is our considered view that the National Peace Committee has failed in a very crucial area concerning the elections,” he added.
“The failure to issue a statement on the role of the judiciary and what Nigeria expects from the judiciary is an inglorious statement on the process of election in Nigeria.
“Accordingly, we call on the National Peace Committee to quickly address this gap in its engagements. It must be stressed that every Nigerian is looking up to the judiciary.
“What it means is that the National Peace Committee must be alert to its responsibilities.
“In other words, we are calling on the group to effectively focus its bright lights on the judiciary because its actions or inactions can undermine the atmosphere of peace and stability that has been engendered by political actors keeping to the terms of the peace accord they signed before the elections.”