LETTER TO PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN AND MUHAMMADU BUHARI. Written by Saint-Olawale Jimoh

Dear Presidential Candidates,

     I believe that both of you followed the last US 2012 elections and learned a few lessons about democracy. You would recall that even when Florida votes had not been counted, the Republican had already conceded and accepted Obama as the winner. No guns involved, no bombs, no court cases, no cold wars, no kidnapping, no abuses and that's exactly what we want.

    No matter who wins or loses in 2015, nobody should incite bloodshed please!

      Few days to the commencement of our 2011 presidential election, one of the groups loyal a presidential candidate alleged that an aeroplane was loaded with electoral materials to rig the election, the allegation which was found to be untrue. While the false alarm is yet to die down, presidential election took place, one won and the other lost. Hell let loose at the northern part of the country where over 800 people lost their lives including 11 youth coppers who served as INEC electoral officers. What incited the mayhem was the comments of the one who lost. We don't want a repeat of such in our land.

       In fact, both of you must count yourself lucky and highly favoured for emerging again to be in position to be elected as the president of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria. You have both tasted the position once and emerging again is not just by chance, but a very rare privilege. Today, there are many brilliant and intelligent Nigerian youth who have best qualifications yet unemployed. Or how do we profile a 35 years old youth who still share same room with his parents and siblings. You guys must therefore count yourself lucky that you have youths who are not only unsuspecting but resilient and non-violent, else the story would have been different. This is more reason why you must see this as a golden opportunity to reshape Nigeria's history.
    

        President Goodluck Jonathan is a key to ensuring peace in the Niger-Delta in case he doesn't win. The ex-militants still listen to him. Muhammadu Buhari too can ensure there's peace in the North if only he can choose to accept in good faith if he's defeated in the on-coming election. Knowing fully well that negative comments from the defeated party can incite another untold bloodsheds.
Posterity will not forgive whoever goes against peaceful co-existence of Nigerians in whatever form.