Group asks politicians to halt spread of hate messages
A group, The Republican Mind, has said it is worried by the intensity
of the dissemination of intemperate messages by political aspirants.The group also expressed its disappointment at the violence being unleashed on political opponents and their properties.
Speaking at a media chat held at the National Union of Journalist headquarters in Abuja, the National Chairman of the group, Shittu Mohammed, reminded Nigerians of the serious damages that dissemination of hate messages had done to the country.
“We have experienced several religious crises and inter-communal conflicts with attendant loss of lives and properties,” he said.
He said it was therefore unfortunate that some political gladiators have chosen not to check the excesses of their followers.
Mr. Mohammed called on all those involved to stop forthwith the use of abusive, divisive and indecorous words in campaigning for votes in the forthcoming general elections.
He advised all political aspirants to use their party manifesto as the major tool for campaigning. He said they should also mass produce and circulate their manifesto to the public, and focus on issue-based campaign as practiced in other civilized democracies.
Mr. Mohammed further made an appeal to all eligible voters who are yet to collect their PVCs to do so immediately.
“We are also impressed with the increasing rate at which millions of eligible Nigerians that have collected their PVCs, it demonstrates the determination by the public to exercise their civic duties,” he said.
He also called on all political parties, civil society and the media to educate Nigerians on the overall benefits of active participation in the electoral process.
He added that civic education must be encouraged to deepen citizens’ understanding of democratic governance.
The Republican Mind is a civil society group set out to preserve, protect and defend the unity and integrity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Amina Mohammed
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