2015 Polls: Don’t Create Turmoil In Nigeria, Gumi Warns Politicians – Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi

Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, has warned Nigerian politicians not to use the forthcoming elections to create political turmoil in the country. Gumi gave the warning while speaking to journalists at the First Roundtable Peace Meeting organized by the Northern Religious Leaders Peace Initiative Forum, held in Abuja yesterday, Leadership reports.

He cautioned politicians not to slide the country into turmoil as currently being experienced in Yemen where insurgents took advantage of the discord among political leaders to wield power in that nation’s capital.

“I am warning Nigerians now; if as a result of election there is political turmoil in the country, we are here in Abuja standing; in some few months it will be Boko Haram people that will be standing and talking. This is what happened in Yemen where insurgents were initially confined to a mountainous part of the country but when there was political turmoil, the insurgents took advantage and invaded the capital, sacking the government”, he said.

The cleric added that Nigeria cannot tolerate political turmoil at this time of national elections, and called on the dominant political parties, PDP and APC, to sit down and sort out their differences without turmoil or everybody will lose.

Sheikh Gumi urged party supporters not to take laws into their hands. He also called on law enforcement agents to be ready to protect lives and properties.

He urged security agencies to maintain their professionalism in the general elections.

He further reminded Nigerians that people will always complain even before, during and after the elections. “People will always complain, we are not always perfect but as a nation, we should do with what we have.

“Whatever is the choice of the people and in any case, the court of law, people should abide by it. I urge people to obey the rule of law because that is the only way to achieving peace in the country”, Gumi noted.

He advised Nigerians to worry less and leave the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to do its job in conducting a credible election for the country.

Gumi called on religious leaders to come together and forge a way forward for the nation. “The clergy and scholars should continue to preach peace to the people not to take laws into their hands no matter how aggrieved they may be as violence will complicate issues”, Gumi warned.