Awka – The Anambra State Director of the National Orientation Agency,(NOA), Barrister Charles Nwoji, over the weekend called on politicians and political parties in the November 6 governorship election in the state, to be civil in the prosecution of their political campaigns and shun acts and comments that can heat up the polity.
The Anambra state NOA director also tasked eligible voters in the state to come out enmass on November 6 to exercise their franchise and eschew all forms of violence that would mar the election.
Nwoji, who was speaking at a one-day Peace Seminar organized by the Rotary Club of Awka Central, Anambra State and her Sister Rotaract Club in Nnamdi Azikiwe University in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency, Awka, held at Crescent Spring Hotel, Awka, reminded Anambrarians that election is all about political contest and not war.
He noted emphatically that Anambra State has not been known for violence during elections all the years, calling on the indigenous electorates and the non- indigenous electorates, to comport themselves in the best manner they could as the election processes last in the state.
Nworji called on INEC and security agencies in the state to put all hands on deck to ensure that the election holds as stipulated.
“A number of people in the state have expressed misgivings over the violence that has characterized political activities in the state.
“This is why NOA is partnering with the Rotary Club with a view to ensuring that the message of shunning election apathy and violence among Anambrarians, is achieved during the election.
“We have identified the Rotary club as a critical partner with the potentials required to deliver the message of peace across the state and elsewhere,” he said.
Presenting his address of welcome, the President, Rotary Club of Awka Central, Rotarian Michael Onyekachi Iruka, maintained that the Club has been in the forefront of promoting peace all over the world by partnering with the international and local organizations.
According to him, the essence of the seminar was to encourage the citizens to exercise their civic responsibility by obtaining their voters cards and shunning violence during the election.
In his words, “Peace breeds prosperity, advancement and economic boom of any nation as all forms of political turbulent and other obnoxious vices are inimical to development.
“The event was jointly organized by the parties involved in order to empower youths that would help them in disseminating the peace education on election matters in the State.”
On his part, the President, Rotaract Club of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Rotaractor Onwudiwe Glenn Chukwuemeka, advised the Anambra electorates to vote for competence at the poll, calling on the youths to identify with the Club or any other organizations that have interest in the peace of the election.
In a lecture, a quest speaker, Mrs.Lechukwu Ugomma, who spoke on the topic, “Promoting Peace through Citizens Participation In Election”, frowned at the outlandish attitudes of the electorate who use their permanent voters cards for only bank transaction, reminding the people that they have a lot of responsibilities in the conduct of the November 6 Election in the state.
Mrs.Lechukwu, told the people to allow their votes to count at the poll by shunning negative tendencies that could escalate unnecessary tension and apathy as well as not allow themselves to be used as tugs to snatch ballot boxes as they would be denied by their pay masters whenever they run into trouble.
The Peace Seminar which has as its theme, “The Roles Of INEC And Civic Responsibilities of Citizens On Anambra Election”, was attended by the District Governor of District 9142, Dr. Okechuwu Okonkwo ,represented by the Secretary of the District, Rotarian Christian Chinedu Agala, the first past Assistant Governor of the district 1942, Dr Dennis Ekemezie, the Chairman in-charge of Peace Building and Conflict Prevention of the Club, Rotarian Timothy Nwabunwanne and the President, Students Union Government, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Rotarian Ani Chukwuma among others.
