Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, a former head of state, has admonished politicians to do everything in their power to “jealously guard the peace of the country” ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Abubakar asserted that politicians and their parties hold the key to peace in the nation.
He said this at a book launch in memory of a former governor of Kaduna State, Patrick Yakowa.
The book written by the late governor’s spokesman, Reuben Buhari, is titled: ‘Yakowa: A Dream Deferred.
Abubakar urged politicians to avoid hate speech in all it ramification during the period of campaigns, but to rather dwell on issues based campaign.
He said,
“Allow me to draw our attention to the approaching 2019 general elections. May I urge all of us, especially the politicians to continue to jealously guard the peace of our dear country.
“I urged us to refrain from political campaigns laced with religious or ethnic peculiarities and concentrate on issue-based campaigns.
“Politicians and their political parties hold the key to the creation of an environment that could foster free, fair and credible elections.”
Yakowa’s widow, Amina, urged politicians to play politics without bitterness, noting that power belongs to God.