By Mercy Onyenweli
As Politicians across the leading Parties intensifies their campaign ahead of 21st September , the convener of Rally for Peaceful Election, Dr. Bright Oniovokukor has called on all the Governorship Candidates in Edo State to prove both in words and in action that the life of all Edo People is worth more than their ambition.
Dr. Oniovokukor stated this while addressing stakeholders who participated in the Peace for rally campaign held on the 18th of July, 2024 in Benin City.
Pointing out the benefit of a Peaceful campaign cum election, he stressed that Edo Gubernatorial election is the type that poses threat to Violence due to the level of interest and multifactorial reasons surrounding the 2024 election.
Speaking further, he called on INEC, Security agencies to provide adequate measures in place that can mitigate potential electoral violence.
For the Youths, Dr. Onoivokukor , advised that they should resist Politicians who would want to use them as willing tools to carry out mischief and chaos in the system.“
The Citizens especially voters should realize that their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) is not a pass for them to go and disrupt the election or violate the guidelines of Electoral Act, now that the election is just few weeks ahead, I called on all to participate in the various Voters Education Program in place in order to be acquainted with the dos and don’ts as well as putting up best behavioral practices”.
“This Peace Campaign tagged “I Stand For Peace is to herald the series of activities that we would embark on to promote Peace, this also include calling on all to say something when you see something since INEC and the law Enforcement Agencts can not be everywhere, they need the collaboration of patriotic citizens to curtail violence in the state”.
Leading an initiative like this is a wonderful development and Inosezilo Family Foundation, aka SAFI, fully supports it. It’s important to remember that while the average Nigerian politician is often desperate to win, mobilizing overzealous members (both physically and virtually) that do not know their real intensions of running for the office; they are also a product of the average Nigerian citizen.
Edo 2024 Voters Education Hub should therefore prioritize engaging these candidates during media debate forums. We could strategically establish our presence and relevance with the media platforms and organizers, working closely with them to provide relevant information and craft potential questions that will challenge these candidates effectively.
Additionally, we could set up an ICT unit within this platform to thoroughly investigate the backgrounds of these candidates. This unit should delve deeply into their pasts to understand their reasoning, they way they real think, their track records, previous work experiences, and the perspectives of their subordinates. Such information will offer the citizens a comprehensive understanding of who these candidates truly are, beyond the polished image presented by their campaign managers and teams.
Furthermore, it is crucial that this platform be composed of decent and high-valued individuals who will uphold the principles of the group. The group must ensure that it’s members are steadfast and will not compromise the integrity of the mission by being swayed or bought. Consistency and credibility are vital, as any deviation from your core values would discredit the very essence of establishing the group.
It is pertinent to state that by maintaining your integrity and commitment to transparency, you would be equipping voters with detailed and objective information; that will empower them to make informed decisions, fostering a peaceful, fair, and credible election free from violence, cyberbullying, muddy/irrelevant talks and electoral fraud.