A Call For Peaceful LG Polls In Akwa lbom: The role of the youth
Heralding another periodic elections in Akwa lbom State! This time, the local government polls. Thus, while heralding this periodic electoral event, it therefore, note worthy to state emphatically that, the future of Akwa lbom, as a state, lies in the hands of its youths.
However, there is no doubt that, some unsavoury politicians in our state will make attempts of recruiting most of us to foment violence during our local government polls. Yet, it must be stressed here therefore that, we the youths, as a matter of indebtedness to our state, do have a major role to play in promoting peace, before, during and after this Saturday local government polls in our state.
Therefore, we are warned! Hence, we must not allow ourselves to be tricked into falling for unscrupulous politicians’ tricks, because the future of our state, Akwa lbom, is bigger than any politician’s ambition.
Accordingly, as we go out to elect the next crops of local government chairmen and councilors across the thirty-one local government areas in our state, there is no doubt that, there is a heightened anxiety permeating our political space. However, it is true that, elections in our country have often been characterized by most dreadful conflicts. Hence, the examples of electoral violence in Edo and Ondo states of late.
However, Akwa lbom, the oil rich state in Nigeria has no doubt, been receiving commendations and praises from observers both within and without, as the model of responsible governance in Nigeria, under Governor Udom Emmanuel-led government in particular.
Accordingly, going by such commendations, we are therefore, hopeful that, the overwhelming participation of our youths in Akwa lbom 2020 local government polls, and its subsequent peaceful outcome, will remain a sort of inspiration to other states across our federation.
Be that as it were, we are in the opinion that, only the candidates who will bring the best solutions to our current socio-economic problems, facing us, the youths, and the entire Akwa lbom citizenry will garner the majority of our votes in this elections. Therefore, whether or not our current socio-economic problems, especially at the grassroots level will be addressed in the next three years is absolutely in our hands.
This is true, given the alarming unemployment rate of our teeming youths in our county. Sadly, the youth unemployment has been highlighted to be at an alarming rate of about fifty percent. Thus, going by this revelation therefore, there is no doubt that, only those candidates, who will serve as solution bearers to this problem will win out supports in this elections.
That being said, although, many of our youths have sat ‘on the fence’ in previous years, anytime there is such occasion to go out and vote for their choice candidates during elections, nevertheless, perhaps, this time around, the increasing levels of unemployment will be a motivating factor for a good number of us to take to the polls in our higher numbers to vote for our solution bearers.
Having said that, although there is a rising discontent by a handful of opposition in the state, which may suggest a threat for possible youth radicalisation and violence during the elections. And going by the fact that, Akwa lbom state, just like any other state within the federation, is under the pressure of a youth bulge, with young people of voting age, comprising about sixty-seven percent of its population.
There could be such temptation, empirically that, our youths who have been made to fall victims of radicalisation during elections in many of our previous political processes, can make themselves available for electoral violence during this local government polls. Thus, a cross section of Akwa lbom people have asked, can this repeat itself in this local government polls?
Nevertheless, as youths of this state, Akwa lbom, we must remember we have a great future ahead of us. Thus, posterity will never forgive us, should we allow ourselves to be accomplice in a crime of plunging our state into chaos during this local government polls.
Therefore, we must all volunteer to insist for peaceful conduct of this local government polls in our state. Most, importantly too, among several other tools available to deploy in accomplishing this, social media remains a great tool that we can use to reach out to our fellow youths and call for peace throughout the elections.
LG polls
Thus, it is incumbent on us therefore, to follow the example of the inventors of this online column; ‘POLITICS and the YOUTHS’, by using social media as a platform to promote peace and non-violence before, during and after Akwa lbom 2020 local government polls. This is very important, an example we must take a leave from.
Therefore, to our fellow youths, it is true that we have been down this road before. Yes, we have had contentious elections in the past, but the truth is that, we have always shown the other states within our federation that, indeed, Nigeria’s democracy has come of age.
Thus, at this turn of event in the history of Governor Udom Emmanuel-led administration, we are admonishing our fellow Akwa lbom youths to try as much as possible, to avoid violence during this local government polls. And please, should there be any disagreement whatsoever, we are suggesting that, our courts be duly used to resolve electoral disputes.
Meanwhile, this edition of this online column, is our contribution to the ongoing call for our youths across the globe to be ambassadors of peace, instead of vehicles for violence. Accordingly, although, we have make emphasy on the instrumental role we have to play in deciding who get our unflinching support in this periodic elections, nevertheless, we are calling on every one of us to endeavour to ensuring that, there is absolute maintenance of peace and order before, during and after the elections.
Let us therefore, go out in our numbers and vote. Although, we may have our disagreements, nevertheless, the ultimate interest of our state, Akwa lbom, must remain our utmost priority. And should the worst come to worst, we must be cautious not to let unscrupulous politicians and violent extremists use us for their selfish reasons.
Having said all of the above; above all, we urge each and every one of us to continue to abide to our allegiance due to our state, as subjects to its sovereign. Thus, we must allow ourselves to be intellectually and emotionally binded to the United Nations Secretary Council Resolution, which recognizes us, the youths, as ambassadors of peace.
While wishing our state, Akwa lbom, a peaceful outing, as it conducts its 2020 local government polls, we also wish our fellow youths a successful outing, as we go out en mass to decide on who lead us in the next three years in our various local government councils within our state through ballot boxes.
Thus, we look forward to having an informative knowledge-sharing exercise on: POLITICS and the YOUTHS. Do well to comment, and if there is no comment, then there is no need!
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