A Political Scientist and International Relations expert, Prof. Hassan Saliu has appealed to Nigerians to ensure peaceful and acceptable general elections so as to avoid backlash effect from the international community.
The Don warned that any form of unacceptable results they may emanate from mass rigging and violence and the aftermath reaction from the international community may be too difficult a burden the country can bear coupled with the present insurgency , terrorism and the Boko Haram war the nation is battling with.
Prof. Saliu who is from the Department of Political Science, University of Ilorin raised this alarm in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital while featuring on a Radio Kwara personality interview programme, “Playing Host”.
He urged the political gladiators and the electorate to vote in accordance with their conscience and to guide against violating the electoral laws.
He stressed that politics and elections have become veritable platforms that promote international cooperation and understanding among countries across the globe.
He noted that the nation is in the course of its 20 years of uninterrupted democracy, but disclosed that Nigerian politicians have been administering their states from their mental maps with only themselves in the picture of their programmes.
He said the electorate would have expected the politicians to campaign on issues of how to curb poverty and how to generate more employment in a more coordinated manner.
Answering another question, Prof Saliu said that the period allotted for political parties and candidates for campaign is too short for any meaningful agenda and therefore suggested for a period of one year.
The Don commended the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) executives and the Federal Government for reaching an amicable agreement a development that has made the lecturers and students to return to work. He however expressed hope that the two parties would respect the agreement reached.
