Shun Thuggery, Violence, Resist Imposition Of Stooges, AYF-W Tells Anioma Nation, Deltans

Anioma Youth Forum Worldwide (AYF-W) has urged all eligible voters across the nine Local Government Areas of Anioma land and the entire Delta State to come out enmass and cast their votes for the candidates of their choices across all party lines in the council elections on Saturday.

AYF-W which is the umbrella body of youths in Anioma nation (Delta north senatorial district), advised youths to shun all forms of thuggery and violence during the polls.

A statement signed by the President, Nnamdi Ofonye; Deputy President, Sadik Nwachukwu; Secretary, Frank Odum; and Publicity Secretary, Elvis Ekwukwo, urged youths to avoid being used as tools by politicians to harass, intimidate, maim and in some cases kill their brothers, sisters and friends for peanuts as thugs and hirelings.

“So, as we file out yet again on Saturday, AYF-W charges Anioma youths to elect only those they are sure of having the basics and willpower to pilot the affairs of the local governments and outrightly resist the old fashioned imposition of stooges who will serve as conduit for looting and sharing of our common patrimony as regrettably witnessed almost in all the LGAs during the tenures of the immediate past chairmen and others before them,” it stated.

The group however expressed dismay over the preparations by the umpire, Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) to conduct free, fair and credible exercise.

AYF-W said with less than 48 hours to the elections, the commission has not come out open to assure Deltans of it’s commitment to guarantee a credible poll.

“It became more worrisome that despite several attempts and efforts to engage DSIEC as critical stakeholders, the commission has been evasive.

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“Despite following the due process of officially applying to be registered as independent observers for the exercise, DSIEC also and deliberately failed to act on it leaving us with no option than to conclude that maybe, only those technically handpicked to serve a predetermined purpose might have been secretly accredited.

“However, AYF-W, with a large number of its active members participating as candidates across the two major political parties (PDP and APC), we will not shy away from one of our core responsibilities by following the election across all the wards of Anioma and our findings promptly made public.

“As strong proponent of good and accountable governance, the process that will throw up those to lead and govern us must also be credible.

“AYF-W is not unmindful of the critical roles of the security agencies in an election, hence we task them to make professionalism their watchword all through the election periods by ensuring the safety of everyone taking part in the election while all trouble makers are dealt with severely,” it concluded.