Politics
Election: The UN cautions lawmakers and demands that Nigeria not lose
On Monday, the United Nations urged Nigeria to successfully conduct the general elections in 2023.
The international organization also asserted that sustainable development, which it had long pushed for, was the only way for a country to flourish.
Amina Mohammed, the chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group and the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, made these points in a keynote address she gave at the Nigerian Bar Association State of the National Dialogue on the subject of “Security, Economy, and Administration of Justice.”
Out of the 18 contenders for president, just three showed up.
They are Major Hamza Al-Mustapha Hamza of the Action Alliance, Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress, and Peter Umeadi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance.
Mohammed reminded the judiciary that as members of the Bar, “You have a key role to play to advance the country’s aspiration towards 2023 general elections,” adding that Nigeria cannot simply afford to fail as Africa’s largest economy, with the largest port of views, and a security anchor for its neighbors.
According to Mohammed, the UN would back any procedure that resulted in credible, inclusive, free, and fair general elections.
She stated, “The UN is dedicated to assisting Nigeria on this path.”
According to Mohammed, “things will be turned around to a more inclusive, egalitarian, and just society where we will embrace the best of our traditions with open minds and create trust that will allow us to construct a brighter future together.”
The top UN official praised the rise in registered voters from 84 million to 93 million, calling it positive and indicating that Nigerians appeared eager about the election.
She criticized politicians and candidates who practice politics of resentment, hostility, and acrimony.
“However, we have continued to witness attacks on institutions, fake news, hate speech, a spate of religious and ethnic identities, conditions as well as attacks on INEC facilities since the political campaigns began,” Mohammed lamented.
She urged the judiciary to take a stand and continue serving as an unbiased arbitrator as a result.
The forum’s report cannot be undervalued in this situation. The judges will be asked to address and resolve any potential strife or conflict that could develop after the elections.
As a result, the judiciary is asked to maintain its objectivity and abstain from actions that may prevent it from doing its constitutionally mandated duties, according to the UN Deputy Scribe.
Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), the president of the Nigerian Bar Association, issued a plea to lawyers to stop practicing law just for financial gain.
“While receiving payment for the services we provide is good, we must not make it the main driving force behind the job we do; instead, we must be driven by the cause of the people,” he stated.
“That is the way forward for the country. In this first phase of the national conversation, the three themes of security, economy, and justice system management have been selected. We will establish the tone for the country from the NBA’s standpoint through our carefully chosen keynote speaker and panelists on the three topics.
In order to further engage and hold the administration accountable to the people of Nigeria, we have invited all of the presidential contenders to take part in this discussion.
“We will compile the NBA’s viewpoint from this discussion and make it available to all presidential candidates. By serving the public and upholding the rule of law while guiding the next generation down this noble road, we think that doing this will also help us reclaim our position as society’s leaders.
Solomon Arase, a panelist and former Inspector-General of Police, said the future President of Nigeria would need a strong political will to reform the police and improve how well it carried out its constitutional obligations.
He argued that the government was responsible for ensuring the safety of people and their property, and he counseled the next administration to think about using technology to combat crime.
Brig-General Abubakar Hanafi Sa’ad, a different panelist, cautioned against ethnic group profiling.
“Avoid ethnographic group profiling. He said that not all herders were terrorists.
