The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), yesterday, sensitized over 200 youths leaders drawn from the 18 Local Government Area of Edo State on the dangers of electoral violence, saying its effects have the tendencies of hampering the democratic processes of the country.
Speaking on the theme “Dangers of Electoral Violence, the Legal Implications and its Effect on Our National Building” at a one day sensitization orientation for youths in Edo State, organized by Queens and Pet Concept Initiative supported by Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Victor Ohiosumua, said since 1999 general election, the present democratic dispensation has not been without violence.
He said the violence manifests in form of ethnic rivalry, socio-religious crisis, party clashes and disturbances.
Ohiosumua added that from empirical study, youths are the main enforcers of electoral violence adding that they are induced to unleash violence as a means to achieving electoral and political success.
Ohiosumua admonished the youths that electoral violence does not only effect the victims but also on those associated with them, adding that based on that, they must weigh their options whenever politicians are bent on recruiting them to perpetrate violence.
Also speaking, the representative of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Edo State, Richard Ivharue, noted that since democracy is about ensuring good life and peaceful co-existence, there is need for them to embrace peace and reject crises during election so as to consolidate on the hard earned democracy.
He called on the INEC, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Civil Society Organizations and other relevant agencies to step up public enlightenment on the evil of electoral crises and its effects on democracy.
For Nurudeen Asonugie, he appealed to the Nigerian youths not to allow politicians to use religion and ethnicity to divide them noting that they (politicians) are not fighting for them but for themselves.
Earlier, the Special Adviser , Executive Director on Finance and Administration (EDFA), NDDC on Youth, Sports and Mobilization, Daniel Ighile, said the purpose of the workshop is to sensitize the youths so that they can know the danger of getting involved in electoral violence.
He said a lot of persons at their youthful age have lost their lives in the cause of being engaged in violence during the elections adding that electioneering processes ought to have been process that ought to have been peaceful to the extent that it will produce our leaders, it should be devoid of rancour.
According to him “if they have been told, they will now know how to desist from it.
“They will know what the law says , what are their privileges and what are their rights.
“You do not have to engage in violence for you to enforce your right in the elections, your right is your PVC, your right is the power to vote.
” It is not to destroy the ballot boxes or to destroy the process .
“So we are appealing because the youth are the leaders of tomorrow , they need to be told how to lead us tomorrow”
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