In a bid to promote a culture of peace and violence-free election ahead of the 2023 general elections in Nigeria, the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation is set to host key political stakeholders and democratic actors for a one-day peace conference. The event tagged: “Nation-building; the role of elections in a multi-ethnic context” is scheduled for Tuesday, September 20, 2022, in Abuja.
A statement by the Foundation’s Executive Director, Ms Ann Iyonu, notes that the 2022 Peace Conference, which is in its second edition, will examine the trends and threats to a peaceful election and build a multi-stakeholder consensus toward a peaceful general election.
According to Iyonu, Amb Mohamed Ibn Chambas, former Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), will present the keynote address while Governor Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi State, Bishop Hassan Kukah, Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh Regional Director for Central and West Africa, National Democratic Institute(NDI) are part of the discussants at the event.
Ms. Iyonu stated:“ the rationale behind the conference is to promote a culture of tolerance among different political actors and highlight best practices for credible and violence-free elections in Nigeria.
“Participants at the conference will be drawn from a wide range of interest groups, including members of political parties, aspirants, government representatives, women and youth groups, security operatives, leaders of the election management body, civil society groups, members of the diplomatic corps, media professionals and many others.
“They will examine how the Nigerian democratic space has evolved, discuss the trends and threats to an inclusive and peaceful election, and canvass strategies toward nation-building to consolidate the nation’s 23 years of democracy.
Wealth Dickson Omianbo, Communications Officer, Goodluck Jonathan Foundation