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2023 election: We must avoid mistakes of 2015 — CNG
“Unfortunately, instead of addressing the challenges as they emerge, successive leaderships found it expedient to use them for either political gains, or to serve their selfish interest of polarizing the region along ethnoreligious, and socio-cultural divides.”
The Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, has appealed to Nigerians not to repeat the mistake of 2015 in the coming 2023 general elections by placing competence, capacity and integrity above every other consideration in the choice of leaders.
The National Coordinator of CNG, Comrade Jamilu Charanchi made the call in Makurdi at a CNG-organised 2023 Election Sensitization Conference with the theme ‘Politics of Sentiments, a Critical Factor Militating Development of Democracy in Nigeria; and with sub-theme: Religion and Ethnic Tolerance, Panacea to Nigeria’s Survival as a Nation.’
Comrade Charanchi who decried the numerous socio-economic, political and communal crises as well as the widening ethnic and religious divide bedevilling the North over the years which he attributed to the people and bad leadership cautioned the electorates to properly scrutinise the politicians seeking their mandate in the coming elections in order to settle for those with proven integrity, pedigree, honesty and sound understanding of the challenges facing the region.
According to him, “the crux of the matter is that electorates must map out their needs and refuse to be deceived by just any politician coming with the usual campaign promises that would never ever be fulfilled.
“The northern voter must look out for credible candidates with proven pedigrees, honesty, sense of nationalism and sound understanding of the current challenges facing the region.
“We must vigilantly subject every candidate to critical scrutiny by demanding from him or her a comprehensive plan of action and extracting solid commitment to reverse the situation for the better.
“We must never again allow the 2015 mistake to repeat itself in the choice of those who lead us into the future. We should rather place competence, capacity and integrity above every other secondary consideration.
“In the 2023 general election, I call on the youths, the women and all well-meaning Nigerians to avoid politics of bitterness, religious sentiments, sectionalism and nepotism. We must ensure that the criteria for voting for any person are based on character, capacity, competence and skills.
“The CNG believes that the north and indeed the whole of Nigeria’s protracted social problems and conflicts found their origin in the misplacement of religious, ethnic and cultural values of the people.
“Unfortunately, instead of addressing the challenges as they emerge, successive leaderships found it expedient to use them for either political gains, or to serve their selfish interest of polarizing the region along ethnoreligious, and socio-cultural divides.
“The CNG is therefore concerned, and will not fold its arms and allow our future, and that of our children to be jeopardized by a few.”
Earlier, the Benue State Coordinator of CNG, Comrade Bernard Ekwote who lauded the participants at the conference, tasked them to spread the message of the group to others to ensure a very peaceful 2023 general elections.
