Ensure Success of February Polls, UN Charges Lawyers at NBA Dialogue

The Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Group, Ms Amina Mohammed, on Monday, charged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to ensure the success of the February general election.

Mohammed, who gave the charge in a keynote address she delivered at the State of the Nation Dialogue, also tasked the umbrella body of lawyers in the country to device mechanism that would effectively manage conflicts that may arise from the conduct of the elections which commences on February 25 with the presidential and National Assembly polls.

The State of the Nation Dialogue, which is a maiden programme of the NBA, has as focus: Security, Economy and Administration of Justice and also has in attendance experts and professionals from relevant fields, as well as seven presidential candidates.

According to Mohammed, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has made a giant stride in ensuring a credible, free and fair election in the country.

She assured the lawyers of the United Nations’ commitment to ensuring a credible election in Nigeria, just as she made case for increase in the number of women in politics in the country.

At the dialogue, various panelists who spoke on issues relating to security, economy and justice urged the presidential candidates present to shun religious and ethnic considerations in governance.

They also made a case for the engagement of competent and capable hands that would quickly bring about the much needed dividends of democracy.

Amongst the presidential candidates in attendance were Hamza Al-mustapha of the Action Alliance (AA); Omoyele Sowore, African Action Congress ( AAC); Dumebi Kachukwu, African Democratic Congress (ADC); Sani Yusuf, Action Democratic Party (ADP); Prof. Peter Umeadi, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Prince Adewole Adebayo, Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Daniel Nwanyanwu of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).