By Gami Tadanyigbe
Centre For Peace Advocacy and Sustainable Development (CEPASD) in partnership with Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace, FES, Women and Youth for Nigeria Alliance and Young Smart Development Initiative, have called on youths in the country to shun electoral violence.
The group made the call during a town hall meeting with the theme titled “Community Sensitisation Pathway To Violence Free Elections and Peaceful Coexistence”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the town hall meeting was held at Dame Patience Jonathan Youth Sports Centre, Nyanya, Abuja.
The Executive Director of (CEPASD), Mr Igweshi Augustine, at the town hall meeting called on the youths to shun any form of electoral violence and other vices during the 2023 general elections in the country.
Augustine advised the youths to desist from activities dangerous to their lives and rather channel their energy to building a better life and society for national development.
The Executive Director stressed on the need to re-orientate and re-conscientise the minds of the Nigerian youths to shun all forms of electoral violence in the country in the forthcoming election.
He also appealed to the media for partnership to disseminate information to every nook and cranny of the society to sensitise the youths on the dangers of engaging in electoral violence.
The group also called on Nigerian youth to shun any form of violence and all manners of electoral malpractices in the 2023 General Elections and beyond.
The programme Officer with Education as Vacin, Mis Igwe Blessing, said women have a vital role to play in nation building and Peaceful co-existence for the development of the country.
Blessing said it is important to engage the women as the elections are fast approaching to enable them sensitise the public to help reduce electoral violence during elections.
On his part, Mr Nicholas Dike, the programme officer for Cardinal Onaikan Foundation for Peace called on the youths to be mindful with the utterances as they are critical stakeholders for the prevention of electoral violence.
Dike also called on the youths not allow themselves to be used by politicians during elections, but rather see themselves as agents of positive change for nation building.
The assistant Imam of Nyanya Central Mosque, Mohammed Mahmood, appreciated the organisations for the sensitisation program and also called on the youths to shun any form of violence during elections.
A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Mis Zainab Yahaya, who thanked the group for the sensitisation program said she would use the knowledge acquired to vote the right candidate of her choice. (NAN)