Kogi election: Group cautions electorate against ethnic sentiment

Fri, Sep 6, 2019
By publisher
2 MIN READ

Politics

CHRISTIAN Empowerment Forum (CEF), an NGO, has advised electorate in Kogi to refrain from using ethnicity as a yardstick to vote in the Nov. 16 governorship election.

Mr Ifunnaya Ogbonnaya, Executive Director of the group, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

Ogbonnaya said that the use of religious, tribal or ethnic sentiments while casting votes during elections were quite worrisome.

He said that elections were to allow electorate to choose their leaders based on credibility, accountability and integrity and not on religious beliefs, tribal or ethnic sentiment.

“On Nov. 16 both indigenes and residents of Kogi state will troop out en masse to cast their votes at their various polling centres and units in the state.

“The choice that the people will make should be driven by their desire for good governance and accountability.

“Religious, tribal and ethnic bias should not define how or who the people should vote into power.

“Political leaders must live and demonstrate their capacity to sell their ideas and performance credentials to the electorate and not to stoke up the embers of sentiments,’’ he said.

Ogbonnaya said that the power tussle to make a particular religion, tribe or ethnic group win an election without considerations for the accountability and integrity of such a leader should call for concern.

He urged religious leaders, village heads, royal fathers and elders not to impose their preferred choice of candidates on their followers based on whatever reasons or on the basis of self- interest.

“They should be concerned about collectively maintaining peace by cautioning their followers; and ensure that the electorate does the right thing by voting wisely for a governor that will deliver,’’ he said.

Ogbonnaya appealed to leaders in various spheres in the state to practically demonstrate their commitment by ensuring that their wards, supporters and followers behave within the ambit of the law before, during and after the election.

According to him, where there is true patriotism and commitment to the true principles of democracy, peace, progress and tranquility will reign without bias.

He advised that irrespective of tribe, religion and ethnicity, anyone entrusted to lead the state, should live up to the highest ideals of decency and morality. (NAN)

– Sept. 6, 2019 @ 13:29 GMT |

Tags: