Presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwolu yesterday appealed to residents to eschew acts that could lead to a breakdown of law and order.
They spoke against the backdrop of reported attacks on some traders on Lagos Island.
While Tinubu expressed concern over the incident, Sanwo-Olu said violence, was not a ”part of our culture.”
Also yesterday, former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi urged Nigerians to exercise restraint in the aftermath of the presidential election.
Tinubu, in a statement by Director of Media and Publicity of APC Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga, said the outcome of the presidential election in Lagos State should not be a source of provocation.
He reminded Nigerians that the beauty of democracy was the right of everyone to vote for any candidate of their choice.
The former governor further said as a democrat, he was bound to accept outcome of any election, favourable or not.
Tinubu, according to Onanuga, said: “The fact that APC narrowly lost Lagos State to another party should not be reason for violence. As a democrat, you win some, you lose some. We must allow the process to continue unhindered while we maintain peace and decorum.”
Sanwo-Olu, in a five-paragraph statement, said residents should go about their businesses since ”all is now calm.”
He explained that security operatives had been deployed in troubled areas to forestall breakdown of law and order.
The statement reads: ”We have got reports of friction in some parts of Lagos this morning. All is calm now.
“There is no need for violence, which is not part of our culture.
“I urge Lagosians to go about their businesses without any fear of harassment. Law enforcement agencies have been asked to ensure there is no breakdown of law and order in any part of the state.
“I have been your governor for almost four years, promoting harmony and friendship across ethnic and religious lines without discrimination, whatsoever.”
“Let us remain calm. All will be well. We are peaceful and so we shall remain.”
Fayemi, who is president of Forum of Regions of Africa (FORAF), called on Nigerians to avoid inflammatory comments and actions that could lead to breakdown of law.
He said: ‘’Election is not war. There are 90 million registered voters and it is impossible for all of them to have uniformity of electoral choices.
“Diversity and plurality of beliefs, ideas, and attitudes are bedrocks of representative democracy. An election will probably not be necessary if we have same choices.
‘’I urge Nigerians to be calm and not to make inflammatory statements or take actions that may lead to breakdown of law and order. Let’s allow Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) tally and announce the results.
‘’I note that INEC had challenges relating to the digitalisation of the electoral process but the commission had promised to fix this. We should give INEC benefit of the doubt, and await the completion of the process and the announcement of the final outcome.”
The former governor also appealed “to political leaders and actors to exercise restraint at this point and not to incite or encourage their followers to take the laws into their hands.”
<<The Nation>>