By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna

Barely less than three weeks before the 2023 general elections, Clerics from the Islamic and Christian faith, have called on Nigerians to shun all forms of political violence during, before, and after elections.

Speaking to Journalist in Kaduna at a Public lecture organized by Sabil Charitable International Organization,(SCIO) with the theme “Promoting Tolerance, and Peaceful Co-existence Before, During, and after 2023 General Elections”, the chief Imam of Sultan Mosques Kaduna, Sheikh Mohammed Suleiman, Said” it is high time we educated our people not to be involved in any form of political violence, during, before, and after the 2023 General Elections, for the development of this country.

“As a Citizen who has the right to vote, use your vote to vote for any candidate of your choice, and whoever you think has not done well, vote them out, you don’t have to take Weapons destroying and killing one another in the name of defending your candidate”, he said.

The Islamic cleric further explained, “our youths shouldn’t agree to be used by Selfish Politicians as political thugs. You’re the leaders of tomorrow, how will you lead this country? So don’t allow yourself to be used as political thugs during campaigns or kill your brothers, elections will come and go, he noted.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigerian,(CAN) Reverend John Joseph Hayap said “Election should be an opportunity where people decide who will lead them, but unfortunately in our society, the election has become where society create division among community members, citizens create division among people of diverse interest.

“I join this group today to say that we must not promote religious division. The election should be a period where we come together to kick out those we probably think didn’t serve us right, so how do we do that? We must make our elections free of violence”.

“l appeal to Nigerians since we are crying that things aren’t going well, let us join hands together to vote for the candidates of our choice so that we can get the desired change we want from the government. When we stop fighting each other, we are not going to divert attention, we are not going to downplay the most important issue to what it is not, no Nigerian is your enemy, no Nigerian is fighting you, and every Nigerian will relate in peace and harmony,”

“We are all working together, we are all looking for Naira Note together, we are all looking for the opportunity together, I salute this woman for initiating this idea for Tolerance and Peaceful Co-existence during, before, and after elections, he added.

Earlier in her welcome address, the president of Sabil Charitable International Organization, Hajiya Halimatu Sadiya Abdu, Said “the main purpose of coming here today is to lecture ourselves about promoting Tolerance and Peaceful Co-existence before, during, and after the 2023 General Elections.

“You will agree with us that this topic is very timely considering the forthcoming elections, it has always been observed that during such period, politicians and their followers usually engage in making uncivilized comments and attacks on their opponents during campaigns.

“Such mudslinging does not augur well on the people that are supposed to govern our country and can easily trigger unrest and cause crisis in our country, no meaningful development can take place in any society if there’s no peace, the public and parents should caution their children against any political upheaval, as the youths are usually vulnerable and ready tools for crime over meagre amount of money, we pray to Almighty for a peaceful election, she added.