By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA – National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Senator David Mark, has warned political actors against turning elections into a do-or-die contest, saying the credibility of the 2027 general elections must be non-negotiable.
Speaking on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving a delegation from the International Republican Institute, IRI, on a pre-election assessment mission, Mark said Nigerians must be allowed to choose their leaders freely, without violence, intimidation, manipulation or the abuse of state institutions.
The warning came against the backdrop of the violence recorded during the recently concluded Osun State governorship election, where no fewer than 30 people were reportedly killed, with Mark saying such incidents had no place in a democratic contest.
“Elections should not be treated as war or a do-or-die affair. They should be a democratic process through which citizens freely choose their leaders and advance their aspirations for development and a better quality of life,” Mark said.
