The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has called on politicians and religious leaders to prioritise the peace and unity of Nigeria and desist from making inciteful utterances that would bring disunity among citizens.
In a statement signed by KACRAN National President, Honourable Khalil Mohd Bello, the association strives to ensure lasting peace between cattle rearers and arable farmers and enhance unity in the country.
He said “KACRAN is not a political party, but a non-political association that assiduously works to bring peace between cattle rearers and arable farmers.
“KACRAN has noted with dismay and dissatisfaction the habit of some politicians and religious leaders who play primitive and parochial politics with religion and incite inter-faith conflicts by sending provocative messages during political campaigns.
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“Such practice is highly condemnable, so we appeal to all politicians, religious leaders, and all Nigerians to stop making inciteful comments during political campaigns where people are told to vote on religious or tribal lines, politicians and religious leaders should endeavor to bring peace and unity in the country.
“But it’s painful that some have resorted to making utterances that will bring division in the country at this crucial time when we seriously need ardent prayers for peace and unity.
“We strongly condemn these dangerous utterances by politicians or religious leaders because Nigerian politics is not ethnocentric or faith-based, which is why in the entire country, Mosques, Churches, and other places of worship are not named after any political party.
“Our politicians and religious leaders should desist from exploiting the ignorance of rural people to cajole and induce them to vote along ethnic or religious lines. Ethno-religious campaigns will do more harm than good to our political process and national unity.
The national president also advised party candidates not to allow such campaigners into their campaign team.
“Our people should also know that such campaigns have no room in the political space of Nigeria. We further suggest that people should avoid anything that will bring division to the country but concentrate only on what will bring peace, unity, and cohesion.
Mohd Bello said politicians should note that the electorates will not vote based on religious or tribal sentiments but based on good records, character, capacity, competence, previous performances, and a candidate’s determination to solve national security problems and bring rapid developments in the country.
“KACRAN wonders why some Nigerians in the 21st century are trying to drag the nation back into the dark ages, where tribal and religious sentiments are the main factors people consider instead of competence and capacity.
“Politicians should base their campaigns on good manifestos and telling the electorates what their vision, mission, and programs are and what they want to achieve rather than thinking of the mundane ways of deceiving the populace to garner plenty of votes.
The association also encouraged eligible Nigerians who are yet to register or have registered but are yet to collect their PVCs to kindly visit INEC registration centres, to register and collect their cards.
Mohd Bello also commended the efforts of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) in the usage of various jingles to sensitize herders about the importance of peace and PVC registration and for the provision of relief materials and several water points in various locations for livestock.
“While thanking the management of NEDC for capturing our herders in their policies and programs, KACRAN passionately appeals to the federal government to make more funds available to the commission to enable it to continue with the good works on youth empowerment that has helped to reduce insurgency in the North East sub-region.” He said.
