TheCable

Former head of state, Abdulsalami Abbubakar, says politicians must learn to accept defeat and results of the 2015 general election in good fate “and in the interest of democracy”.

The retired general made the appeal on Monday during an interaction with journalists in Gombe, advising politicians not to take politics as a do-or-die affair but to play it according to the rules.

“The most expensive commodity now in Nigeria is peace.

“As we go into the 2015 general elections, we should do all the best we can to maintain peace and tranquillity in this country because without peace, there will be no country, without peace nobody will go and pursue his livelihood.

“I appeal to all of us; all of us have a role to play in maintaining peace in this country.

“So we must approach the election with a sense of responsibility.

“Election is not a do-or-die affair; in any competition there is a winner and when a winner emerges the loser should accept and know that there can be no two winners at the same time.

“So the loser should go back and see what mistakes he had made; what his or her shortcomings are and prepare for the next elections. After all, in Nigeria, the tenure for governance is four years.

“In a life of a nation, I think that is nothing to cry about. Within the twinkling of an eye, it will come and go,” he said.

He advised the electorate to vote according to their conscience, to ensure credibility in the polls.

On the progress made in democracy in the last 15 years, he said there was room for improvement, adding that nation building was a continuous process with people building on what others had done.

On the insurgency in the north-east, he appealed to the insurgents to give peace a chance.

He had earlier paid a courtesy visit to the emir of Gombe, Abubakar-Shehu-Abubakar, during which he condoled him of the death of his father, Shehu Abubakar.