ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – Following the anxiety and fear that has greeted the preparation of the 2015 elections leading to many relocating to their places of origin, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), has launched its anti-violence social campaign tagged “Do the Right Thing, WagePeace 2015” with a view to sensitising Nigerians to shun violence before, during and after elections.
This is as the Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has disclosed that over 900,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been registered.
While saying it was not praying to witness any post-election violence in the coming elections, the Director General of NEMA, Mohammed Sani-Sidi said the agency was fully prepared to tackle the situation should the need arise.
Director-General of NOA, Mike Omeri, who performed the launch alongside the representative of the Minister of Culture and Tourism, stressed the importance of peace campaign now in view of the atmosphere of fear of violence that has enveloped the polity ahead of the 2015 general elections.
He called on Nigerians to obey simple instructions from security agents and be polite to them, especially in times of crisis, saying this will not only ensure safety of Nigerians and properties but would also curtail violent situations.
According to him: “The Do the Right Thing WAGEPEACE 2015 provides an over-arching platform to bring together all stakeholders and advocate for peaceful, violence free 2015 election outcome.
“I believe that what we are doing here today and what we do in the coming weeks before and after the elections will greatly impact on the desired, violence free election outcome irrespective of who wins at the polls.
“The Do the Right Thing, WAGEPEACE 2015 campaign was drawn from the need to give Nigerians confidence and reprogramme the minds of Nigerians towards a positive narative which is the possibility of a violence free election.
“The idea of bringing different stakeholders together to push this message is to produce the biggest collation for peace where Nigerians can see different aspect of the nation on One platform with One voice having One massage which is for Nigerians to Do the RightThingWAGEPEACE before, during and after the elections.
“The responsibility of putting this peace massage out there particularly at the pace and consistency we intend to run it (minimum of 5 media slots a day) is to all Nigerians because no one is exempted from the effect of election violence, thus the need for corporate Nigeria, the public sector, international community and well meaning Nigerians to endorse this campaign by putting it on air and supporting other activities of the campaign.
“We shall counter and drown the drums of war by beating the drums of peace; and we urge Nigerians to join us in this effort”, he stated.
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Minister of Culture, represented by Mrs Gloria Abumere, also underscored the fact that stakeholders have expressed genuine fears over a possible breakout of violence within the period of the elections.
according to him, “We have a sacred duty as leaders in various spheres to advocate for peaceful, violence free election for our country men and women. If the process is marred by violence, we all suffer in the long run.
“It is in this vein that I call on all stakeholders to robustly support this campaign tagged ‘Do the RightThingWAGEPEACE 2015’.
“We have often heard of people waging war, the clarion call in the building-up to the 2015 elections is for all Nigerians ‘wage peace’.
“Our country needs peace now more than any other time in our national evolution. It is only in a peaceful roles to grow our nascent democracy.
Leader of the Association of Abuja Market Women, Felicia Sani, in a goodwill message preached that waging peace was a collective responsibility of all Nigerians, and particularly so for women who constitute the greatest number of displaced persons in refugee camps in the country.
