Ahead of Saturday’s governorship elections, the Interfaith forum of Muslim and Christian Women’s Association has called for calm among the residents of Kaduna state.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, the General, Christian and Muslim Coordinators of the association, Hajiya Amina Kazaure, Mrs. Elizabeth Abuk and Hajiya Daharatu Ahmed respectively called on religious and traditional leaders, stakeholders and all citizens of the state to wholeheartedly embrace the path of peace.
According to them, “As mothers of a culture of peace, we are using this medium to strongly advocate for peace in our dear state due to the way and manner in which the politics of Kaduna state has turned into.
“We have observed that there are pockets of tension in the political arena which no doubt is a serious threat. Politics is not a do or die affairs and should not be based on religious and ethnic lines.
“We call on the religious leaders to know that they play a very big role in building peace and social cohesion in any society.
“They are at the core of the morals of the society which in turn determines the behaviours of the people they lead, their perception towards other religious ideologies, shapes their followers’ loyalties and the way they interact with others in the society.
“As such, religion can be both a negative and a positive determinant for peace in the society. We therefore call on our religious leaders to re-direct their preaching/sermon to engender peace building and peaceful assembly in our state.”
They added: “We are using this medium to join our voices with those of other concerned citizens by calling on every Nigerian/citizen to desist from acts that are capable of causing disunity particularly in Kaduna, and the country at large.
“When there is no peace in the land, women and children particularly bear the brunt of the untold hardships brought by violence.
“We are calling on the governments, the security agencies and the people of Kaduna state to be at alert so as to ensure that no agitation(s) by any group infringe on the rights of other citizens or degenerate into violence.”
They appealed to the government and the security agents to further enhance their apparatus and personnel for effective security of lives and property in the state and also provide a safe space for citizens to exercise their civic rights.
They further called on the youths to desist from being used as political thugs and agents of provocative and abusive utterances both physically and through the use of the social media.
“Political actors should adhere to the ideals of the “PEACE ACCORD” pre and post elections by having confidence in the electoral body and simply not allowing any person or group spur us into violent conflicts after result declaration by INEC,” they noted.
