Chinedum Treasure
A legal practitioner, Barr. Donald Chidi Amamgbo, has urged politicians seeking elective positions in the 2027 general elections to shun violence and place the interest and welfare of Nigerians above their personal political ambitions.
Amamgbo made the call in Adazi-Ani, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, while speaking with our correspondent on the outlook for the 2027 elections and the responsibilities of politicians and citizens in ensuring peaceful and credible polls.
He stressed that political power ultimately belongs to the people, warning elected officials and political actors against allowing the trappings of office to make them feel superior to the citizens who entrusted them with power.
According to him, politicians must always remember that their positions are a mandate from the people and should therefore be used to serve, rather than oppress or intimidate them.
“Power must not make us feel we are above the people who put us there. The true power remains with the people,” he said.
Amamgbo, an oil mogul and philanthropist also called on politicians to become agents of peace and harmony in their communities, rather than inflaming tensions in pursuit of political power.
He expressed concern over the persistent incidence of electoral violence in Nigeria, stressing that political contests should never become a justification for the loss of lives.
Amamgbo cited the last Osun election, which he said recorded the deaths of 23 Nigerians, as a disturbing reminder of the dangers associated with political violence.
He maintained that violence had no place in Nigerian politics, urging political candidates and their supporters to embrace the principles of tolerance, sportsmanship and respect for opposing views.
He particularly called on politicians to exercise control over their supporters and discourage inflammatory rhetoric, threats, intimidation and physical attacks during political campaigns and elections.
“Election is not a do-or-die affair. At the end of the day, let the best candidate win, but not at the cost of lives or violence,” he said.
Amamgbo argued that Nigeria was already grappling with numerous social and economic challenges and should not compound its problems with electoral violence simply because politicians were seeking to wrest power from one another.
He urged political parties and their candidates to focus their campaigns on issues, policies, competence, character and their vision for improving the lives of citizens, rather than resorting to personal attacks and manipulation of ethnic or communal sentiments.
According to him, “the 2027 elections present another opportunity for Nigerians to strengthen democracy by demanding accountability from those seeking their votes and holding elected officials to the promises they make during campaigns.
“I call on citizens to play their part by resisting attempts by politicians to use them as instruments of violence. Instead, they should carefully scrutinise the records, character, capacity and programmes of candidates before casting their ballots, rather than allowing political inducements or sentiments to determine their choices.”
He further urged political leaders to recognise that victory at the polls should not be measured solely by the ability to defeat opponents, but by the ability to contribute meaningfully to the development and stability of the country.
Amamgbo called on all political actors to publicly renounce violence in all its forms and commit themselves to peaceful campaigns, credible elections and the acceptance of legitimate electoral outcomes.
“Politicians should desist from and renounce violence in all its appearances,” he said.
He maintained that democracy could only thrive where political competition was allowed to take place within the bounds of law and mutual respect, stressing that no political ambition was worth the life of a Nigerian.
He therefore called on politicians, political parties, traditional institutions, civil society organisations, security agencies and citizens to work together ahead of 2027 to ensure that the elections are conducted peacefully and that the democratic process strengthens, rather than weakens, national unity.
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