From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The Anioma Youth Forum Worldwide (AYF-W) has advised political actors to show mutual respect for the various religious, ethnic and tribal differences as they campaign for the 2023 general elections.
AYF-W which is the umbrella body for youths in the Anioma nation (Delta north) of Delta State, also urged political parties and their candidates to eschew campaigns of calumny and divisiveness.
In a statement by the publicity secretary of the group on Wednesday, Elvis Ekwukwo further cautioned politicians against making inciting utterances capable of threatening national peace and causing chaos.
The statement which is coming on the heels of the official flag-off of campaigns for the polls rather urged politicians to approach the 2023 contest with every sense of decency and decorum.
Ekwukwo advised that the campaigns should be issue-based with a focus on track records, capacity, credibility and candidates’ contributions to the growth and development of our nation.
The statement read: “As one of the socio-political youth organizations in Delta State and as a responsive and responsible youth body, AYF-W, seizes this medium to call on the various political parties to eschew campaigns of calumny, divisiveness and instead be issue-based with a focus on track records, capacity, credibility and candidates’ contributions to the growth and development of our nation.
“As a group that places a high premium on the peaceful coexistence between all Nigerians, AYF-W also calls on all political players in this electioneering season to not only have mutual respect for the various religious, ethnic and tribal differences among themselves but must also shun the use of inciting comments and statements capable of threatening our peace or cause chaos. Elections will come and go but our dear country, Nigeria must remain one and united.
“We also want to use this medium, to in particular urge Anioma youths once again not to be willing tools in the hands of desperate politicians who see elections as a do or die affairs.
“We call on all sons and daughters of Anioma and Nigerians at large to remain law abiding and peaceful during the campaigns and till after the 2023 elections as no election is worth the life of anyone and there can’t be growth and development in an atmosphere of violence and lawlessness.
“We also call on the security agencies to up their surveillance and intelligence gathering throughout this period and thereafter so as to guarantee the safety of lives and properties and give room to a peaceful process across the country,” the statement read.