Ahead of 2019 elections, a former member of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon Suleiman Kokori-Abdul has called for an end to strong-arm tactics in electoral processes, stating that whoever aspires to be elected into public office should demonstrate statesmanship by embracing the politics of principle, in the interest of peace and national development.
Kokori, who gave the charge during an exclusive interview with our correspondent in Abuja expressed concern that the ‘use of arms and force by some politicians to pervert electoral processes pose serious threat to the country’s political development,’ adding Nigeria will be the better if aspirants demonstrate respect for rule of law.
When asked what he considers the greatest threat to the country in the light of the forthcoming elections, he said: ‘The masses have suffered immensely from the use of arms and force by some politicians who are bent on grabbing power at all cost,’ and called for a change of mindset and attitude.
‘The process of electing leaders ought to be a set of decent stages that is devoid of violence, but some people won’t adhere to the rule of law, they think they have a birthright to rule even if the masses won’t vote them,’ he said.
Debunking the commonly held notion that ‘politics is a dirty game,’ the consummate businessman said: ‘Politics is not a dirty game, rather, it is how people engage in it that makes it look dirty.’
“If your hands are dirty and you use them to lift a clean cup, the cup and water would probably become dirty,” adding that 2019 elections must be so diligently carried out, noting that both electorate and aspirants have a role to pay to guarantee peaceful electoral process.
