Nigerians have been advised to eschew violence and unlawful activities that may affect the peaceful conduct of elections as they prepare to go to the polls this Saturday. 

Making the call at the launch of Vote in Peace Voterthon, a creative event for the promotion of peaceful conduct by all stakeholders on Election Day, on Wednesday, 22nd February, 2023, in Abuja, the National Coordinator, Yell Out Nigeria, Dr. Moses Ogidi Paul, called on Nigerians to be of their best behavior during and after the election at all polling units across the country. He however called for vigilance to defend votes and resist any attempt to subvert the will of the people. “Vote in Peace (VIP) is a call for credible leadership and responsible followership,” he said. 

He encouraged Nigerians to come out en masse and vote, the current hardship due to the naira redesign notwithstanding. 

“Nigerians must be ready to sacrifice their comfort to go out and vote on Saturday because in truth, this election is about the entirety of our lives.” He said.

Senatorial candidate of the Labour Party in the FCT, Hajiya Ireti Kingibe, thanked the Nigerian youths for their doggedness and fervency in their mission to save Nigeria which has sustained the Obidient Movement till date. She described the movement as real and alive affirming that “In three days, we will show them that we are not only on twitter. That we are real people. I am proud for the people that you are.” 

She said that for the first time in many years, Nigerians have a chance to decide who their leaders will be and not the ones chosen for them by election riggers and vote buyers. 

“Nigeria can only change when Nigerians go looking for their leaders themselves. We have arrived. We are ready to take over this country.” 

She called on Nigerian youths to sustain their bid to save Nigeria by non-violent means and not resort to violence no matter the provocation as Vote in Peace ambassadors. 

“We are all VIPs. We are going to be provoked. But we will not fall for their whims. We will go out peacefully to save Nigeria on Saturday. As a VIP, you must insist on zero violence on Election Day.”

 She described the VIP as a citizen advocate programme and thanked the leadership of the Labour Party for its support. She called on FCT residents to ensure massive active participation in Saturday’s election as a way to “begin the process of building a New Nigeria,” encouraging them to go out and vote, “Peter Obi for president, Ireti Kingibe for Senate, and Chinedu Obika for House of Representatives.” 

She described insinuations that the Labour Party is incapable of providing official party agents to protect its candidate’s interest at all polling units in the country as flawed since the Nigerian people will be present and ready to defend their votes as unofficial agents of the party.

She decried the negative impact of bad leadership on the national psyche maintaining that Nigerians are good people who have suffered the misfortune of long years of bad leadership. 

“We are not bad people. We just need to be reminded where we are going to. We got lost on the road. Now, we are back on track. Nigeria is ours and we believe. And when we believe it though without a proof of it, then we can build a country we can all be proud of.” She said. 

The Chief spokesperson of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Tanko Yunusa called on Nigerians to resist any attempt by the opposition to divide the electorate on religious and ethnic lines. 

A trick that has had many successes in the past. He described Mr. Peter Obi as a true Nigerian who has inspired Nigerians to renew their love for their country. He called on Nigerians in the north to break down the walls of the old political order which has placed most of the population in perpetual abject poverty. 

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“The average Lagos beggar is a northerner.” He said, describing the average northern voter as a victim whose living standard is worse than that of an average southerner who on the other hand has access to basic amenities. 

The Kano state – born activist, called for the need to secure the future of children from the north describing them as treasures that should be protected and not wasted. 

“The fact that children from the north can recite from memory verses of the Quran is proof that they are intelligent. Why are we wasting it?” He said. He stressed that the future of the children of the north is safer in the hands of someone with a clear vision of a New Nigeria describing the Nigeria of our dream as “one in which we are all beneficiaries of the commonwealth.” 

He encouraged Nigerians to sustain the push for a change of political order and sue for a Nigeria that will not divide its people. He enjoined Nigerians to come out on Saturday and vote Mr. Peter Obi as our next president. 

Also speaking at the event was popular contemporary poet, spoken word artist and performer, Mr. Dike Chukwumerije. 

He spoke on the need to sustain the Nigeria consciousness seemingly activated by Mr. Peter Obi’s presidential bid. Describing as false the notion that Nigerians hate their country, he said, “Our people don’t hate our country. If they do, they won’t like the food, the music, the fashion. What we hate is not the country but how it is being governed. Look at how well Nigerians are doing in all areas of life. The only thing that does not resemble us in the country is our government. It does not hustle like us. It is not as innovative as us.” 

He called the Obidient Movement an ideological struggle and a sign that Nigerians have come of age. 

“We have come of age. You can choose for yourselves. Choose leaders that resemble you. That have your energy, your motivation, courage. If a Nigerian is in power, things will work.” He said. He called on Nigerians to put their conviction to work by going out to vote on Saturday as, “The only poll that counts is the one on Election Day. If it takes going through hell and high water, go out and vote on Saturday.” 

There were performances in music and poetry by Agu Prince Osinayah (Happyprince), a poet, G.B, Chris, a musician and Presley, a rapper, among others. 

The event, the last in a series of events organized by Dr. Moses Ogidi Paul, convener, Yell Out Nigeria, since the beginning of campaigns in September last year, was concluded with a VIP Walk. The procession, colourfully clad in VIP custom t-shirts, was led by Hajiya Ireti Doyle, Chief Peter Chukwuemeka Diugwu, FCT Labour Party Chairman, and Dr. Moses Ogidi Paul, from Merit House to the INEC office in Maitama. At the INEC office, the group was received by a director of security who spoke on behalf of the INEC chairman. He assured Nigerians of the commission’s readiness to conduct a free and inclusive election and called on Nigerians to own the process.

 “We want to assure you that INEC has put everything it has into ensuring that the elections are free and violence-free. We call on Nigerians to own the process by going out to vote, protect their votes and report any form of misconduct to security agencies.” He enjoined Nigerians to vote and remain at their polling units without missing any action from accreditation to transmission of results to the INEC server. 

Responding to the INEC official, Hajiya Ireti Kingibe thanked INEC for its commitment to the conduct of a free and fair election and asked it to sustain the energy and called on Nigerians to do their part by participating in the process and hold INEC by its word. “I am calling on everybody to go out and own the election and hold INEC to its commitment to a free, credible and inclusive election.” She said. 

Dr. Moses Ogidi Paul described the walk and comment by INEC as symbolic. He said, “What has happened right now is symbolic in our nation’s history. As you can see, none of the presidential candidates is here in person, yet a few hours to an election, we marched after a symbolic event speaking against vote buying and rigging, the same factors that have produced the kind of leadership we have today. And it is symbolic that this is done with a woman who, though is in pain after a recent accident, bore the pain to make the walk with us. She represents the entire political elite contesting in the coming election. There is no place in terms of significance and symbolism where this message can be better presented today.” 

FCT Labour Party Chairman, Chief Peter Chukwuemeka Diugwu, thanked INEC for its show of commitment in the electoral process and enjoined Nigerians to play their role in keeping the election violence-free. He thanked Hajiya Ireti Kingibe for sustaining commitment and resoluteness in her senatorial bid. “We are 72 hours from the election and our candidate, Hajiya Ireti Kingibe, has fulfilled all the political rites due a candidate in an election and come Saturday she will become the senator-elect for the FCT.” He thanked her for motivating the youth throughout her campaign.