Sultan to Youths: Use Your PVC to Elect Credible Candidates

• Abdulsalami urges politicians to face governance

By Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto and Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, yesterday urged youths to use their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) not weapons to ensure the success of their parties and candidates in the forthcoming 2019 polls.

In his message to Muslims on the occasion of the Eid-el-Adha festival in Sokoto, the monarch maintained that it is the only power the youths can use to vote for credible candidates of their choice.

According to him, the PVC is a very potent weapon to either vote or reject any candidate seeking to occupy any elective office.

He noted that without it, the youths would not be able to exercise their constitutional responsibility of casting vote during the forthcoming elections.

He said, “I urge you to obtain your PVCs as without it you would not vote for your favorite party and candidates in the forthcoming elections.

“We should see our PVCs as real weapons not the kind of weapons being given to our youths by selfish and unscrupulous politicians to cause chaos in our societies.

“If you love Buhari, the only way you can ensure his success is by obtaining your PVCs and same thing with Governor Tambuwal and other aspirants.”

He also cautioned the youths against engaging in thuggery or violence, saying no election is worth a precious life of any Nigerian.

He maintained that traditional rulers have no favorite party or candidates other than the choices of their subjects.

The Sultan called on politicians and political parties not to see politics as do or die affair.

According to him, “Our politicians should realise that it is only God that gives power to whoever He wishes and at the time He wishes.

“We should therefore play the game by the rules. We should avoid making inflammatory and divisive statements during our politicking. And after the election, whoever God gives the office, we should support him to succeed.”

Abdulsalami Urges Politicians to Face Governance

In a related development, former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), yesterday told politicians to face the business of governance and stop the current infighting, which has pervaded the polity.

Abdulsalami gave the advice in Minna, shortly after joining hundreds of Muslims to say the two Rakkat prayers to mark this year’s Eid-el-kabir festival at the prayer ground in the Niger State capital.

“Nigerian leaders should stop the ongoing infighting among themselves and face real business of governance, which is expected of them,” he said. He said the country’s political leaders must rise up to the challenge of good governance and make life better for the ordinary man on the street rather than engaging each other in a fight, which has no direct bearing on the electorate that voted them into office. According to him, what Nigerians need from their leaders now is good governance and not infighting.

He said, “The primary responsibility of a leader is to find solutions to the problems faced by its citizens,” adding that they should get together and think for the country what is good for the citizens they are leading.

“This bickering between the leaders will not do us well. I hope they will get together and understand that there should be give and take,” he said.

On the 2019 general election, the former military head of state advised politicians to shun “do-or-die politics,” reminding them that in every contest there was always a winner and a loser.

“Politicians should play the game by the rules; this thing you know is not do-or-die affair. They are trying to lead the people, whether they are in position or in governance, they are serving the people. So they should put Nigerians in mind in whatever they do. There shouldn’t be any violence at all,” he added.

He also urged Nigerians to get their PVCs and vote for the leaders of their choice, saying this was the only way, Nigerians could participate in governance.

“I call on Nigerians who are yet to collect their PVCs to take advantage of the ongoing continuous voters’ registration to do so. Let them vote for the leaders of their choice, so that they do not end up biting their fingers in regret after the election. This is the only chance they have to vote the leader of their choice,” he said.

Also speaking to journalists at the same venue, the Deputy Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Mohammed Ketso, urged the people to use the two weeks’ extension granted by INEC to obtain their PVCs.