Ebonyi State Resident Electoral Commissioner INEC, Professor Godswill Obioma, has charged youths, to state really how they can actively involve in electoral processes than allowing themselves to be use as instrument for negative purposes during electioning processes.
The REC made the call during Youth strategy Development meeting between INEC and youth Initiative Advocacy growth and Advancement(YIAGA) at INEC headquarters Abakaliki.
According to him, the programme and its policy shall encourage and ensure youths involvement in electoral processes at the state and national level.
“Our major aim of this programme is to directly hear from the youths for them to say what they really want and how they can actively involve in electoral processes and not only be the instrument that will be use for negative purposes.
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“It is not just to say youths are the leaders of tomorrow, what the commission is trying to do is that the youths at the moment, are leaders of the present.
“We want to encourage them to be equally involve in all electoral process as it will help to shun violence during electoral processes.”
He further alleged that the commission has always been sensitive to the youths and that is the essence of continuous Voters Registration (CVR), which encourages youths to register immediately they clock 18 and participate in electoral process.
Mr Obinna Enwerem from INEC Abuja, also urged the youths to listen to the call of INEC that is ready to engage them, than being used as thugs, ballot bus snatchers or carries but to make use of other instruments in the country and state and have the affairs in their hand.
He further urges youths to lease out all that has been hindering them from participation in electoral processes.
However, Mr Aja Chima Oliver, the coordinator youth Initiative Advocacy growth and advancement(YIAGA) in partnership with INEC and also the Executive Director for Development and integrity Goal foundation based in Ebonyi State, said: “We have been advocating for youths inclusions in political process and this action initiated by YIAGA to have a strategy plan to make youths involve in electoral process.”
He maintained that his interest is more on pre-election issues, post and election issues which will reduce certain engagement of youths in the society.
“I will like the youths to be involved in voters education, sensitisation, and INEC to provide enabling environment and make youths to be involved in that and also make the youths to be involved in electoral management Interms of being an adhoc staff, administrators, election monitors.
“I know that when the youths are engage positively,the negative aspect of them will reduce thereby reducing high level of crime in our society.
Meanwhile, Akpa Alias Orji, the state secretary JONAPID Ebonyi State, among others urged Ebonyians to hurry and get their Permanent Voters Card which remain the power to choose anyone of their choice to lead.
He frowned on the challenges people with disability do face sometimes mostly those without hands and pleaded to government to recognise them because, they are human beings that can diverse a means to display their franchise.
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