Leadership (Abuja)
Innocent Odoh
29 March 2011
Abuja — The United States Government has warned political leaders and candidates for the April polls to refrain from engaging in inflammatory rhetoric and acts capable of instigating violence.
The US Charge’ D Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission to Nigeria, James McAnulty issued this warning during an interactive session with corps members at their Orientation camp in Kubwa, Abuja at the weekend.
US was categorical that violence has no place in a democratic society stressing that democracy is more than a formal counting of votes. He added that Nigerians and international community would judge the quality of the forthcoming election by more than what happens on election day.
McAnulty maintained that the United States and the rest of the international community will continue to observe developments in Nigeria ahead of the elections.
He argued that democracy was about the freedom of all parties to campaign, meet with supporters, appeal to new voters and deliver political messages to the electorates.
He noted that the Federal Government and civil society groups needed to be encouraged not only to permit but to promote the inclusion of all political parties and their access to public fora and the media and said, “Whatever the outcome, we call on all political parties to respect the results of these elections.”
The envoy disclosed that the US Mission to Nigeria, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has so far committed over N5.25 billion to help support credible elections, provide technical assistance to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), working with political parties, sponsoring domestic an international observers, underwriting civic education and helping Nigerian civil society groups organize mechanisms to monitor and evaluate the legitimacy of the electoral process.
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Nigeria: U.S. Warns Politicians Against Imflammatory Language