By Emmanuel Oloniruha

National Rescue Movement (NRM) has urged Nigerians and political stakeholders to foster violence-free 2027 general elections, urging Nigerians not to vote for any political party that promotes violence.

The ‌‌‍⁠⁠‍⁠⁠‍‍‌‍⁠‌⁠‌party made the call on Friday in Abuja during a ‘Walk for Democracy’, with the theme: “Every Vote Must Count; We Demand Peaceful, Credible, Free and Fair 2027 General Election.”

The News Agency of Nigeria NAN reports that the walk was organised by NRM women leaders from all the 36 states and the FCT to sensitise citizens ahead of the polls.

Speaking during the walk, the NRM National Chairman, Mr Chinedu Obi, said the event followed a two-day women’s summit and a friendly football match with Young Progressives Party (YPP).

Obi said that the friendly match was aimed at demonstrating that politics should be driven by sportsmanship and ideas rather than violence.

He urged political actors, particularly at the presidential level, to publicly denounce electoral violence and assure citizens that political ambition was not worth the blood of any Nigerian.

“Election is a competition of ideas and value propositions, not war.

“When a party resorts to violence, it is communicating that it has no solutions to the problems facing Nigerians such as fuel prices, out-of-school children and the purchasing power of workers’ salaries.

“You will only govern over living citizens. If people die during elections, there will be nobody left to govern. We urge Nigerians not to vote for any political party that promotes violence,” he said.

Obi also condemned what he described as exorbitant cost of campaign billboards and signboards across several states and the FCT.

He described the situation as deliberate attempts to control the democratic space, alleging that some states demand up to N250 million for a single campaign billboard.

“NRM condemns this in its entirety. Political parties must be allowed to sell their visions to the people without being caged. Democracy should not be reduced to a coronation,” he added.

In her remarks, the NRM Presidential Candidate, Dr Esther Okereke, called on Nigerian women to leverage their numerical strength on the voters’ register to reshape the nation’s leadership in 2027.

Okereke said that the party deliberately fielded a female presidential candidate alongside a young running mate to harness the critical mass of women and youths, whom she described as underrepresented in governance.

“The era of women campaigning at marketplaces and town halls to vote people in, only to be denied a seat at the decision-making table, is gone. Let us stand together, vote as the highest population in this nation and rescue Nigeria,” she said.

On the role of women in curbing electoral violence, Okereke urged mothers and wives to counsel their sons, husbands and male relatives against being used as political thugs or selling their votes for material inducements.

“Explain to them that hunger will end when they stand their ground and know that their votes count. Your vote is your weapon,” she added.

She noted that the NRM was campaigning with a clear, people-oriented blueprint to rebuild the economy and security architecture.

Okereke also described the inflated billboard rates as a form of political intimidation designed to stifle opposition voices.

Also speaking, the NRM National Woman Leader, Mrs Sola Oluwatunmise, said women leaders from across the federation converged on Abuja to mobilise grassroots support for a peaceful and inclusive election.

Oluwatunmise urged women to help mobilise for peaceful elections at all levels in 2027.

“Every woman across the country should talk to her son: instead of picking up a gun, let them get power through the ballot.

“Since 1960, men have led; we are not asking them to vacate the space, we are asking them to shift a little so we can build the nation together,” Oluwatunmise said.(NAN)

Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq