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Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The former Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Osun State, Babatunde Loye, has cautioned youths against being used as thugs by politicians before, during and after the October 10 governorship election in Ondo State.
He warned the youths to reject moves by any politician to get them involved in electoral violence, demanded that such politician and their children should lead the way.
Loye who gave the charge in a statement entitled: “No politician is worth losing your life for”, lauded all the gubernatorial candidates for committing themselves to ensuring peace during the election by signing a peace accord.
According to him, the electorate, most especially the youths, should resist being used for thuggery, saying the ambition of any politician does not worth dying for.
“As the political atmosphere in Ondo becomes tense ahead of the Saturday election, I urge the youths not be tools in the hand of these desperate politicians.
“You are important to Nigerians and your parents. We should be civil and peaceful. Whoever God has chosen will emerge and our lives will continue. We should not destroy ourselves. No politician is worth dying for.
“Don’t denigrate yourself for peanuts. You are Nigeria’s potential leaders. So, don’t venture in unproductive activities but dissipate your energy on positive things before, during the elections”, he said.
Loye appealed to the electorate not to mortgage their future by selling votes to the highest bidder but turn out massively and vote according to their conscience.
“Don’t sell your votes to the moneybags. Just vote according to the dictates of your conscience and not be induced by peanuts.
“On the days of the elections, nobody should be sleeping at home. On the days of elections, you should go happily to vote the candidate of your choice.
“After voting, you must all wait until our votes are counted; we must also make sure that we vote peacefully and that when we vote, there should be no fighting.”
He admonished security agencies to take measures to check a repeat of the electoral violence in the November 21 Kogi gubernatorial poll, urging them to exhibit professionalism in their conduct.
