The Former Governors Forum (FGF) on Tuesday in Abuja pleaded with politicians to shun divisive politicking and violence arising from elections.
The former governors, led by their leader, Jim Nwobodo who governed the old Anambra, said this during a visit to the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Nwobodo, the only way to move the nation forward is to practise politics without bitterness and ensure that candidates for elective offices on all platforms shun abuses and violence in the course of their campaigns.
”Elections are coming, there is need to ensure unity and peace of Nigeria and one sure way of achieving that is to ensure that free and fair primaries are conducted.
”We need a peaceful country to continue our democracy. We therefore call for transparent, free and fair polls”, Nwobodo said.
The team leader explained that the FGF was not political but would use its influence to ensure sanity in the polity.
“We want to work with all members, including President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo, who are our members, to ensure good electioneering campaigns devoid of abuses.”
Nwobodo urged the National Chairmen of the APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun and his PDP counterpart, Alhaji Adamu Mua’zu, to have an interface to ensure peace.
He also appealed to them as members of the forum to help strengthen democracy, saying “if there is no country, there will be no political parties.
“We believe that with two former governors working closely, we can have a peaceful elections.
”We are interested in good, transparent elections for democracy to flourish. We don’t want acrimony and abuses”.
Oyegun lauded the FGF members and thanked them for playing the role of statesmen in the country.
“I’m hopeful that with the crop of distinguished Nigerians in the forum, a new set of people would soon emerge to start playing the role of statesmen in the country.
“This is a forum that must be nursed, expanded and flourished because it can make a difference.
”Tomorrow, we shall be elder statesmen that aren’t part of the trouble. I can see that germinating in the ranks of those in this Forum”.
He reminisced that during the second republic, politicians related well with those of the Third Republic irrespective of party.
”I wish we can say that of existing governors. The level of divisiveness is a cause for concern.
”There is hardly any level of our national life that hasn’t suffered from existing polarization”, Oyegun said.
Oyegun once governed old Bendel while Muazu, whom the governors visited earlier, once governed Bauchi State.
Other governors present included Abubakar Audu of Kogi (NAN)
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