Worried by the charged political atmosphere prevailing in the state ahead of Saturday re-run gubernatorial election, Kano Concerned Citizens Initiative (KCCI), a collection of stakeholders made up of professionals and members of the traditional titleholders in the state, has sent a strong warning to politicians against inciting violence.
The group also expressed its concern over the general direction which the state is heading, noting that the state was fast losing its prime position in many strategic sphere, especially its economic standpoint advantage.
The call and observation were contained in address read on behalf of the group, Monday, by the chairman of the group, Bashir Othman Tofa, during a media briefing held at NUJ press centre in Kano.
Noting the prevailing charged political atmosphere ahead of the re-run gubernatorial election slated to hold next Saturday, the group is charging political leaders in the state to desist from unguarded utterance capable unmanning the peace of the state.
“KCCI is calling on political leaders to desist from unguarded utterance capable of inflaming passion, which could trigger violence. It is incumbent upon them to strictly obey the rules of engagement and the law.
“They should admonish their members, operatives, and followers to be mindful and know that the full force of the law will be brought against if there is any break down of law and order, or if they are caught in open monetary and other forms of unlawful inducement of voters.
“We are reminding them that we as Kano people will never allow the state to be burned on the account of anybody `s Vaulting ambition to lead or govern the state at all cost. We want our youths to wake up to the reality that it is their future that KCCI and every well-meaning person in Kano are trying to secure” the group stated.
In the same vein, the group is also calling on the youths to eschew and stay away from violence in cahoots with anybody, while, charged parents and Community leaders in the state to prevail on their wards not to allow themselves to be used by politicians that might have the intention of engineering violence on the account of the coming re-run election.
“We cannot afford to let the polity overheat. Peace is the only recipe for healthy and positive development. No society can thrive in an atmosphere of chaos and discord. Kano has, for centuries, been known to be the home of peace, the home of civilized political awareness and a pace-setter in all sphere of human endeavour.
“We must show the same resilience and sophistication demonstrated in the previous elections, even this time around. Every right-thinking persons and lover of Kano must never allow chaos, disorder and discord to derail the peace and tranquillity that our polity has enjoyed since time immemorial”, the group noted.
