Youth, especially the students and citizens in Anambra state have been cautioned against allowing themselves to be used as political thugs and agents of destabilization in the forthcoming councils and governorship elections in the state.
This was coming at the heels of two separate elections billed for October and December respectively later this year.
The charge was given by the chairman of Civil Society Organization Media Policy and Advocacy Network (CSOMPAN) Comrade Asuzu Obunikem at Nnobi, Idemili South Local Government Area, yesterday during a workshop organized for students in tertiary institutions across the state tagged “Leadership mentoring for the youths”
Comrade Asuzu in his opening address pointed out that youth as leaders of tomorrow should start acting responsibly for now and should therefore avoid being used for violence to prosecute someone’s aspiration for elective positions.
The CSOMPAN boss warned that untold harm would befall any youth who pursues thuggery as a hobby, trade or profession as he would face relevant security agencies. He declared that it would amount to a monumental waste for a youth to get killed in thuggery and political violence.
Asuzu pointed out that soon, the money bags and political godfathers would begin to roll out their billions to use in securing the services of youth and other uninformed individuals to create confusion, violence and anarchy just to enable them impose themselves or their unpopular lackeys on the electorate.
Asuzu counselled, “If any politician wants you to be his or her thug, simply tell them to call on one of his children most of who are studying abroad to come and do the dirty job”.
The
programme, according to him was put organized to as part of the national civic education towards eliminationg bad leadership and that it is just proper to design a programme that will expose the youths most especially those in higher institutions to the concept and skills of leadership so that they can be useful to the society.
He revealed that his group have vision of a Nigeria where human dignity, freedom of expression and quality public service delivery is paramount, pointing out that, “time has come for us to eliminate mediocrity being pushed down our throats by the uninformed political class by sensitizing the people, the youths especially on what it entails to be a good leader”.
sir, Joseph Uchendu, HOD Political and Civic education, National Orientation Agency, Anekwe Eucharia, Comrade Tochukwu Omelu former state Chairman of NUJ and Bar. Judith Ezeanyika of Federation for International Women Lawyers (FIDA) presented different papers during the two days leader skill acquisition workshop.
