Make Election Your Civic Duty, SOS Boss Admonish Nigerians

By Our Reporter 

The National Director, SOS Children's Village, Mr Eghosa Erhumwunse, has advised Nigerians to take election as a civic duty and not warfare. 

Erhumwunse gave the advice at a community sensitization forum on promoting peaceful and non violent 2023 general elections in Benue on Wednesday in Makurdi.

Our correspondent reports that SOS Children's Village was a non governmental and social development organization that was working in 197 countries aimed at finding the most appropriate response to the situatian of children without parental care and those at risk of losing parental care. 

The national director appealed to both politicians and the electorate to work assiduously to ensure that the forthcoming general elections were violence free.

"When elections are largely peaceful, post-election violence, rancour and discontent are greatly reduced, hence lives, livelihoods and properties are protected," Erhumwunse said. 

Also, the Vicar General Pastoral, Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Fr Moses Iorapuu, urged Nigerians to arise and save Nigeria and the earth by preaching and promoting peace before, during and after the elections, assuring that the Church would continue to preach peace and non violence at all times.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Tabitha Girgi, disclosed that the ministry was already sensitizing Benue people including those in the hinterlands through her local government offices.

Represented by a director in the ministry, Mrs Dooshima Age, Girgi appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to endeavour to provide electoral materials to the voting points in time to avoid agitations which sometimes lead to violence.

The Commissioner of Police in Benue, CP Wale Abass, assured the electorate that with their cooperation, the general elections would be violence free, stressing that officers were adequately trained on civil and combat engagements.

Abass who was represented by the Police Spokesperson, SP Sewuese Anene further urged parents to advice their children and wards not to allow politicians to use them as thugs.

Meanwhile, a staff of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC), Mr Ronald Ugbede, blamed political violence on politicians, emphasizing that all electoral bodies always prepare for 100 per cent  violence free elections.