The Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria (SCSN) has appealed to contestants in the just-concluded presidential election to accept the outcome of the election or seek redress through the legal process.
Mr. Nafiu Baba-Ahmed ,Secretary-General of the council, made the appeal on Tuesday, while addressing newsmen in Kaduna.
He said there was the need for all to avoid inflammatory remarks capable of inciting opposing supporters into violence or any other form of misconduct.
Baba- Ahmed urged Nigerians, especially the political class aspiring to lead, to remember that that in every election; there were bound to be winners and losers.
According to him, it is the future and progress of the country that matters in the end.
“We further urge all Nigerians to remain calm and hopeful of a greater and prosperous future” he said .
He called on security agencies to be at alert and alive to their responsibilities of maintaining public order, peace and security, in the face of unguarded, provocative and unpatriotic remarks.
Baba-Ahmed said the council was satisfied with the general conduct of the elections, in spite of unavoidable security and logistical challenges.
He commended Nigerians for the unprecedented turn out during the election, their patience and orderly conduct generally, during the elections.
Baba-Ahmed also commended INEC and security agencies for their professionalism in the discharge of their statutory responsibilities by ensuring relative peace and serenity during the election.
He noted that no democratic election was perfect, even in advanced democracies.
“The credibility of any election is predicated on the scale of fairness and the freedom of choice, which have incontrovertibly been substantially complied with,” he said.
He thanked God for the process so far, expressing the hope it would lead to peaceful transition of power to newly -elected political leaders.
“That will, Inshaa’ Allah, usher in a new president and members of the National Assembly peacefully, contrary to earlier fears and negative prophecies of doomsday sayers,” he said.