•Presidency begs Mu’azu not to resign PDP chair
Information gleaned from diplomatic circles indicate that former South African President, Thabo Mbeki, visited Nigeria last week at the urging of President Goodluck Jonathan to broker another peace deal between him and Muhammadu Buhari.
Jonathan is running for a second term on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and is up against a tough rematch against Buhari, a former military Head of State and member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) vying for Aso Rock for the fourth time since 2003.
Tight presidential race
With both government and private opinion polls putting Jonathan and Buhari neck and neck, political pundits and practitioners alike, including Jonathan, are concerned that supporters of the losing candidate may resort to violence after the vote.
Mbeki spent some days in Nigeria consulting major political office holders, and held meetings with Jonathan in Abuja and with Buhari in Kaduna.
It was originally speculated that his visit was the continuation of the efforts of the international community to ensure that the Nigerian elections are conducted without rancor.
But information scooped from diplomatic circles in Abuja by TheNiche point to the fact that Mbeki came at the instance of Jonathan.
A source said he came as a follow up to the visits by the representatives of the United Nations (UN), European Union (EU), African Union (AU), and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), among others.
But another source clarified that Jonathan invited Mbeki to help broker post-election peace between him and Buhari.
Mbeki is reportedly concerned about the need for peace in Nigeria, even after the elections, which have raised tension since campaigns began in January.
Despite the peace accord by 14 presidential candidates in Abuja in January, there has been an upsurge in violence which has led to killings and destruction of property in several states.
NHRC concerned over political killings
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) announced recently that “no fewer than 58 people have been killed in election-related violence in 22 states from December 3, 2014 to date”
NHRC Chairman, Chidi Odinkalu, said within 50 days from December 3, 2014, the commission confirmed 61 incidences of election violence with the majority recorded in three key economic and politically significant states.
His words: “In Lagos, we have tracked at least 11 incidences producing 22 deaths for each incident, an average of two people killed over a span of just 52 days.
“In Kaduna State, we have three incidents and nine killings; Rivers has six incidents, including the detonation of explosives and attacks on courts,
“This degree of pre-election violence is unacceptable, we have seen too much blood and this must be stopped.”
Odinkalu warned that if the trend continues, it will lead the country into more trouble. He urged all leaders to rise to the challenge.
APC petitions ICC over hate speech
Hate speech in the polity is another source of concern.
The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation has lodged a formal complaint against First Lady, Patience Jonathan, at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and other agencies for allegedly telling Nigerians to stone anyone calling for change in the country.
She was quoted to have said at the Peoples Democratic Party Women Campaign in Calabar two weeks ago: “I’m telling you, anyone that comes and tells you change, stone that person.
“Now that age has caught up with you, you want to come and change? You can’t change rather you will turn back to a baby. You will turn back to a baby. From old age, nothing; so nothing like change. Rather (it) is continuity.”
Her speech was interpreted by APC supporters as a veiled attack on Buhari, whom she allegedly said “is brain dead”.
The APC slogan is “Change”, that of the PDP is “Power”.
Amaechi weighs in
APC Campaign Director General and Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, said Patience’s statement was clearly asking PDP supporters to attack APC supporters because Nigerians know that change is the slogan of the party.
He drew a parallel between her inciting statements and those of former First Lady of Cote d’Ivoire, Simone Gbagbo, in the build up to that country’s election in 2010, recalling that she was later indicted for attacks, including rape, murder, and sexual violence, on the opposition.
Amaechi lamented Patience’s hate speech which contravenes the law and also the Abuja Peace Pact endorsed by 14 presidential candidates.
“PDP supporters in the state who may not know better could easily yield themselves to the first lady’s admonition and embark on a process of wanton stoning and other attacks against APC members,” Amaechi said.
He asked the police to protect the lives and property of APC members in Rivers State.
Mu’azu persuaded to stay
Last week, the Villa was reportedly brought to its knees by PDP National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, who threatened to quit rather than verbally attack Buhari.
Many leading supporters of Jonathan are suspicious of Muazu, who they accused of not being harsh on Buhari during campaigns.
His antagonists asked him to resign, but when he made the move on Thursday, March 12, Aso Rock reportedly pleaded with him to change his mind because his departure may jeopardise the chances of the PDP at the polls.
Precautions against violence
Jonathan is said to be taking precautionary measures against violence after the vote.
A source in the Presidency disclosed that there is fear over the possibility of Buhari’s victory, which informed the postponement of the elections from February 14 and 28 to March 28 and April 11.
“The whole calculation was to throw a spanner in the works of the opposition which certainly had an advantage over the PDP before the shift in election dates. It was a near perfect political master stroke but how it works at the end of the day is a different ball game,” said the source.
He added that Jonathan invited Mbeki to get Buhari to make concessions, especially in his anti-corruption stance which frightens a lot of people if he makes it to Aso Rock on May 29.
Buhari appears to have yielded to the plea. He mellowed down at the APC North West rally in Kaduna on Wednesday, March 11 where he promised not to look into the corruption of past government officials but would draw a line from May 29, 2015 against any form of official graft, assuming he wins.
