The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) spokesman, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, who spoke with National Mirror correspondent on Sunday commended Nigerians for showing high-level patriotism by coming out en masse to cast their votes.
He reportedly warned the INEC to avoid a repeat of the June 12 uproar, and urged politicians to relentlessly continue to calm their supporters in order to avoid violence before and after the announcement of the results.The religious body also tasked the electoral commission to treat the results with dispatch.

“INEC is advised to avoid unnecessary delay because this is capable of generating tension. We call on the Federal Government and the security agencies to fully respect INEC’s independence. Breathing down INEC’s neck or arm-twisting it at this crucial period should not be contemplated,” Akintola said. MURIC called the Federal Government’s attention to the June 12, 1993 debacle, and lamented that the poll that was considered the most free, fair and peaceful in Nigeria’s political history was criminally and callously annulled by the then military government.

“We all know what followed. There was widespread civil disobedience. Sanctions were imposed on Nigeria by Western powers. Life became unbearable and we are yet to fully recover from its impact 22 years later. Nigeria must not repeat the June 12 conundrum,” he said.
MURIC also urged stakeholders to allow INEC do its job without any interference or hindrance.

Meanwhile, the June 12, 1993 election is believed to be the freest and most credible election that has ever been conducted in Nigeria. The election was won by a business mogul, Chief M. K.O. Abiola, but was criminally and callously annulled by the then military government of General Ibrahim Babangida.

Abiola was jailed by Babangida for claiming to be the winner of the annulled poll, and while he was in incarceration, he died under mysterious circumstances.
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However, fears associating with a repeat of the June 12 palaver might be a welcome call when one considers the recent comment of the national chairman of the Third Republic National Republican Convention (NRC), Chief Tom Ikimi.

Ikimi, who was a former member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but recently defected to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was quoted as saying: the North should wait for 2019 before vying for presidency.

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