A coalition of civil society groups on Friday staged a peaceful protest to the United States Embassy in Abuja to appeal to the country’s leadership and other world leaders to pressure the Nigerian government to ensure free and credible elections in 2019.

The protesters, chanting various solidarity songs around the diplomatic areas, expressed concern over the behaviour of the security agencies in the recent bye elections in Kwara, Kogi, Bauchi and Katsina states.

The coalition included Concerned Nigerians, Our Mumu Don Do Movement, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy, Leadership and Accountability Initiative, and Campaign for Democracy.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Mr Adeyanju Deji of Concerned Nigerians, said the partisanship of the security agencies during those elections and the recent governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti states were major reasons to be extremely concerned as the 2019 elections draw near.

He said, “From what we have seen in the recent times, we are very worried that the forthcoming elections in 2019 may not be an election between two or more political parties, but an ignominious battle between security agencies.”

Deji also called the attention of the United States and other allies of Nigeria to what he described as the inhumane and undemocratic scheme of vote buying across the country.

•Sourced from a Daily Trust report