PRESS RELEASE            
                                                                                                          Dated: October, 24, 2022

We the Nigerian Global Roundtable, an NGO Think-Tank aimed at pursuing good governance and accountability and facilitating the economic empowerment and overall development of Nigeria and Africa at large. Our purpose is to advance and consolidate knowledge, free from discrimination of all kinds and promote matters relating to Africa and Nigeria in particular.

The Think & Do NGO is a legal entity registered in Vienna, Austria, with distinguished Nigerian professionals from all walks of life from across the world – both home and in the Diaspora.

In view of the persisting and current prevailing leadership problems across Africa and Nigeria in particular, the NGO has been engaging Nigeria’s and Africa’s leaders, opinion influencers and policymakers on topical issues on leadership and their vision on how to move the continent forward through organising series of debates, webinars and communiques.

Given the various insinuations regarding the coming election and the need for Nigerians to participate in a free and fair, and transparent election, we the Nigerian Global Roundtable as concerned stakeholders are worried over the radicalization of our political space.  We therefore wish to call on all political parties, candidates, their supporters, the media and the Authorities to respect the rules and additionally state as follows:

1. That election campaigns are a competition of ideas and political parties with different manifestoes are part of a democratic system in selecting a new leader.
2. That politicians should focus on what they intend to do for Nigeria and not in the slandering or attacking of their rivals.
3. That bill boards of opponents are legitimate ways of communication and that those of opponents should not be destroyed.
4. That presidential candidates have a duty to caution their supporters to desist from threatening violence to dissenting voices and supporters of the opposition parties.
5. That presidential candidates have a responsibility to ask their supporters to desist from online bullying and violent verbal exchange between their supporters.
6. That presidential candidates have a responsibility to ask their supporters to desist from all actions that could raise anxiety that could culminate in electoral violence during the campaigns.
7. That the terms of the Peace Accord signed by the presidential candidates be monitored and adhered to.
8. That to move Nigeria forward, Nigerians are encouraged to actively participate in the coming elections and vote according to their conscience, towards electing credible, competent and capable leaders considering the following factors; integrity, competence and zero tolerance towards corruption.
9. That INEC avoids bottlenecks for all Nigerians that are yet to collect their voters’ cards to enable all willing Nigerians to freely exercise their franchise.
10. That activities of INEC are conducted in a manner as to guarantee a fair and credible election.
11. That we urge all Politicians and their supporters to be civil in their campaigns. They should eschew lies and propaganda, show dignity and advise their supporters to embrace peace. Their campaign should be issue based.
12. That Irrespective of ownership structure of the media houses, the media should be ethical enough to advise politicians to remain on the subject of their manifestation not blackmail opposition or slander others.
13. That the electronic transmission of our election voting results is the law of the land, and its legitimacy was affirmed by the Nigerian apex court. Therefore, no political party should truncate the established law by blackmail, extortion, and or intimidation of the INEC staff.
14. Lastly, we sympathize with all the victims of the current floods throughout Nigeria and urge the Nigerian government to create a relief fund to assist them. We also urge the Nigerian government to prioritize the completion of the Dasin Hausa Dam as the counterpart to the Lagdo Dam in northern Cameroon to avert the reoccurrence of this flood disaster in the future. We also urge state governments to embark upon enduring drainage systems/projects in their respective states, as the next rainy season is only a few months away from the current one.

Signed                                                                                                        

Dr. Jones Edobor                                                                Dr. Remi Alao                    
Chairman                                                                              General Secretary              
Tel: +43-664-2000442                                                      Tel: +41 779 533456

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