Niger Delta Youths Urged to Shun Electoral Violence

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Youths in the Niger Delta region have been advised to shun activities that would lead to electoral violence as the governorship and House of Assembly elections draw nearer.

A Delta state-based legal practitioner, Raymond Okorefe, gave the advice at a one-day workshop against electoral violence in Warri, Delta state capital.
Okorefe, who noted that elections remain an exercise to choose the best candidate from pool of many others seeking for electoral office to serve the people and not a battle for supremacy.

He encouraged youths to seek the grooming of skills that would empower them as well as chart a pathway out of idleness, reminding participants of the need to focus on developing their potential. He said life remains a journey.

The workshop with the theme, “Say no to Electoral Violence”, was organised by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in the region known as, “Pageant and events development initiative,” with assistance from the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC), for youths of the state.

Similar workshops were earlier held in other states in the region, particularly, Rivers, Imo, Akwa Ibom states, among others, basically to highlight to the youths the dangers of violence in elections and the need to desist from it.
Okerefe, who was the lead resource person at the workshop revealed that, “the essence of elections is to choose a candidate from pool of candidates vying for an office to represent the people and not a battle of Supremacy.”

He admitted challenges in the electioneering process in Nigeria and noted that it falls below expectations.
The legal practitioner reminded the participants of the legal, economical and emotional implications of electoral violence, stressing the need for them to avoid being used by desperate politicians to perpetrate violence against their own people at elections.

Earlier in his remarks, the State Director of NDDC in the host state, Stephen Ogheweare, urged the youths to always take decisions that would affect their future positively.

Also speaking, the spokesman of the NGO, Robinson Akpu, commended the NDDC for their supports and passion in changing the negative narrative of the region and its youths in elections.