Youths warned to shun violence

Ahead of general elections next Saturday, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Students in Nigeria Re-awakening Initiative, STINRI, who is also the author and Executive Producer of ‘Dance of Vipers’, Barrister Nathan Oguwike has called on Nigerian youths to eschew violence and resist the temptation of being used by selfish politicians.
Oguwike disclosed this to newsmen in a press interview after a closed-door courtesy visit to the Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Boni Haruna, in Abuja.
Haruna, represented by the Ministry’s Deputy Director of Network for Social Mobilisation, Mrs. Chidinma Ibekwe, said, “It is sad that things are going the way they are going in view of 2015 electioneering. Politicians and their supporters seem to be taking things too personal.
It is a negative development in the political life of Nigeria. Campaigning for an elective post must never be a do-or-die affair.
“Basically, it is the youths that are used for political violence. I urge the youth being approached for political violence to have the good sense to resist by saying no.”
In his speech, Oguwike said every Nigerian has the constitutional right to vote for whomever he or she desires, advising that whoever emerges winner, let him govern in peace. What is important is that the process should be free and fair.
Urging politicians to avoid using the youth to cause violence, he said, “The way things are going at present, I have my fears that Nigeria may go through political turbulent times at the hands of desperate politicians.
“The desperation is so widespread. Almost all interested persons in the electioneering seem to be vulgar demagogues going desperate.
“Campaign of calumny has become the order of the day. There is much bitterness in the political firmament across the country. I will urge all these politicians and their supporters to go less personal. They must let Nigerians decide at the polls.”