Ahead of tomorrow’s re-run elections in Kaduna and other parts of Nigeria, media professionals, faith-based organizations, and peacebuilding networks have urged citizens to vote for credible candidates of their choice and to maintain peace throughout the electoral process.
The Network of Peace Journalists (NPJ), in collaboration with Community Peace Observers (CPO) and the Interfaith Mediation Center (IMC), made this call on Friday 15th August 2025
Ibrahima Yakubu, the Team Leader of the Network of Peace Journalists, alongside other stakeholders in peacebuilding and interreligious tolerance, emphasized the need for mass participation in the elections while urging citizens to remain peaceful and law-abiding.
“There is a need to mobilize citizens to come out en masse to vote for credible candidates of their choice,” Yakubu stated.
He particularly appealed to the youth to shun political thuggery and resist being used to cause violence before, during, and after the elections.
Yakubu also stressed the importance of the early distribution of election materials and the timely commencement of the voting process. He cautioned citizens against relying on unofficial election results circulated on social media, urging them to follow only verified announcements from trusted TV and radio stations.
He further appealed for the safety and protection of journalists and media workers during the election period.
Meanwhile, Mr. Samson Auta, Co-Director of the Interfaith Mediation Center, also called for peaceful conduct ahead of the re-run election.
He urged all candidates to accept the results in good faith and to seek legal redress peacefully if necessary.
Mr. Auta also advised citizens not to sell their votes, stressing that every vote counts and should be cast with integrity.
In a related statement, Mallam Mohammed Zakariyya, leader of the Community Peace Observers in Badarawa and Unguwan Dosa, called on all Nigerians to reject violence and promote peace and unity in their communities.
He encouraged youth to become ambassadors of peace and urged women to participate actively by voting for credible candidates and refusing to sell their votes.