Fellow Nigerians
Once again, we are called upon to perform our civic responsibility to our dear nation, as we head to the polls to elect leaders who will pilot the affairs of our nation for the next four years.
I consider it part of my moral and social obligation to urge you all to come out en masse at your various polling units to vote the candidates of your choice, exercising your franchise peacefully, responsibly and in accordance with the laws and guidelines provided for the exercise.
The manner and approach by which we go about this very sacred civic responsibility as good citizens, is of utmost importance. We owe ourselves a binding duty to ensure that the elections are peaceful and fair by conducting ourselves in a manner that reflects the peace, harmony and the good neighborliness we share as a people.
I charge all political parties, their candidates and agents to commit themselves completely to peace and shun all forms of violence because political parties are not institutions of warfare but platforms through which citizens aspire for political office.
I also urge all stakeholders to be magnanimous in victory and gracious in defeat, for It’s not the winning but the participation. Our collective welfare lies in the knowledge that the victors will equitably represent both supporters and non supporters alike, and the defeated do not turn into victims. Elections are not a do or die affair, we must at this time in our political history divorce ourselves from this mentality.
While commending our security agencies and the electoral umpire, INEC, for their efforts and achievements thus far, I urge them to live up to their constitutional responsibilities in a manner that promotes equity, fairness and justice.
Thank you and God bless Nigeria
Chief Rufus Ada George
Former Governor, Old Rivers State
