Dr Chimbo Obieze of the United Nations International Peace and Governance Council (UN-IPGC), has tasked political party candidates to focus on issue-based campaigns meant to benefit the electorate and generality of Nigerians.

Obieze, who is the UN-IPGC Special Envoy on Sustainable Peace Education and State Chairman, International Human Rights Protection Services, Anambra State, gave the task on Thursday in Awka while speaking to newsmen on the elections.

He spoke on the need for elections devoid of rigging and violence in the country.

The special envoy called on all stakeholders in the election, especially candidates and their political parties, to ensure issue-based campaigns rather than campaign of hate.

According to him, it is clear that the forthcoming elections meant a lot to Nigerians; and candidates of various political parties should come up with issue-based campaigns and ideas to reduce the hardship and and ensure better lives for Nigerians.

“Election is not and can never be a warfare but a civic duty.

“When elections are peaceful; post-election violence, rancour and discontent are minimised or totally absent. Hence, human lives and property are protected.

“Credible leaders emerge through peaceful and fair elections. Credible leaders usually work for the development of the society,” he noted.

The UN-IPGC envoy also warned unscrupulous political candidates and compromising staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to thwart the electoral wishes of millions of Nigerians by any form of rigging and electoral fraud.

He noted that “nobody should drag Nigeria into violence and unhealthy divisions and segregation by act of rigging”.

“The UN and its various bodies and organs are keenly observing the electoral process as well as various electoral actors and stakeholders.

“We cannot allow the most populous black nation in the world and largest in Africa slip into electoral crisis or violence; that would affect the entire African continent.

“Let everyone play by the rule and allow one-man, one-vote system to prevail as well as newly deployed technology to run its course at the election,” he said.

It would be recalled that INEC had fixed Feb. 25 for Presidential and National Assembly elections as well as March 11 for Governorship and State Assembly elections.