The Nation Newspaper

Tag: shun violence

  • …as cleric urges Nigerians to shun violence

    Ahead of governorship and states House of Assembly elections, a cleric, Alhaji Tomasi Akingbade has urged Nigerians to refrain from violence and acts capable of truncating democratic process of the country.

    The Cleric gave the advice in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, in a sermon at a special prayer for peaceful conduct of the governorship and House of Assembly elections across the country.

    Akingbade admonished Nigerians to collectively work together toward ensuring violence-free elections irrespective of ethnic or religious affiliations, saying that no meaningful development could be attained in an atmosphere of chaos and acrimony in any part of the country.

    ýHe advised politicians to abide by the rules and regulations governing the conduct of elections instead of promoting disputes and disorders, noting that the special prayer is targeted at the on-going elections in the country.

    “We want this governorship and house of assembly elections to be a violent-free and fair, in which the most righteous and God-fearing candidates would emerge to represent the interest of the people not themselves,” Imam Akingbade said.

    He noted that the council of Imams and Alfas has always played a pivotal role of organising special prayers both congregationally and individually for the peaceful co-existence of the people in the society and the government, particularly during electioneering period and after elections, adding that religion as an index of culture and civilisation should have a role to play in redressing seemingly intractable problems.

    He faulted the saying that religion and politics should not be good bedfellows in Nigeria. According to him, “Some corrupt Nigerian politicians maintain this position, unfortunately, they have used religion to achieve their goals when it suits them and then turn to argue that religion should not be brought into politics.”

  • APC urges members to shun violence

    The Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged members, supporters and loyalists to eschew any form of violence before, during and after this year’s general elections.

    The party admonished members to exercise their civic rights by casting their votes in a peaceful manner, saying they should guard their votes jealously.

    The State Coordinator of Buhari/Osinbajo (Project 4+4), Mohammed Y. L. Idiopopo, spoke with our correspondent in Ilorin, the state capital, on the side-line of the special prayers the group organised for the success of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo, APC governorship candidate and other candidates of the party at all levels.

    Idiopopo said: “A piece of advice for all APC supporters is for them to eschew violence before, during and after the elections. We don’t want anybody to disrupt the electoral processes.

    “I urge everybody to go out on the days of the elections and exercise their franchise. I also admonish them to cast their votes and let the votes be counted in their presence.”

    On the chances of APC at the polls, the coordinator said: “We are confident the APC will emerge victorious in the state and at the Federal level. Other states that were created alongside Kwara have gone past us.

    “We are sick and tired of all this underdevelopment. Vast majority of Kwarans are tired of retrogression. That is why they are saying ‘Enough is Enough’ (O To Ge!). APC will win at all levels, by the grace of God.”

  • Elections: Clerics urge youths to shun violence

    Youths have been urged to shun violence before, during and after the 2019 general election.

    Most Rev. Obafemi Adeleye, who gave the advice yesterday while addressing reporters in Yaba, Lagos, ahead of his enthronement as the first Archbishop of the newly-created Archdiocese of Lagos Mainland tomorrow, said youths should not allow themselves to be used by unscrupulous politicians to foment trouble, in order not to disrupt the elections.

    He said: “We should allow peace to reign in the country. Election is not a do or die affair. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should ensure a free and fair poll devoid of controversies. It should improve on its performance in 2015.

    “In Methodist Church Nigeria, we empower our youths to dissuade them from crimes and reduce the rate of unemployment in our society.”

    The cleric said Archdiocese of Lagos Mainland was carved out of Lagos Archdiocese to further boost evangelism and spread the good news, adding that creating the new archdiocese was normal and indicated progress and development in the work of God.

    According to him, in the last five years, not fewer than six of such archdioceses had been created.

    “Besides my enthronement on Saturday by the Prelate Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr. Samuel Kanu Uche, the respected man of God will also inaugurate Archdiocese of Lagos Mainland and present the Lay President of the archdiocese, Sir Benjamin Oshadiya,” he said.

    Rev. Adeleye said other officers of the archdiocese would be dedicated at the event.

     

     

  • Cleric urges youths to shun violence

    The Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, has warned youths against acts that could cause violence in next year’s elections

    Okoh addressed youths yesterday at the National Conference of the Anglican Youth Fellowship (AYF) at Paul University, Awka, Anambra State.

    The cleric, who was represented by the Bishop of Awka, Alexander Ibezim, admonished them to avoid violence and the temptation of being used as political thugs.

    He said: “Our country today is marred by violence, killings, kidnapping, robbery, political recklessness, wicked rascality and other vices.

    “You must be careful in your activities to ensure you are not involved or become a tool in the hands of the evil people. It is a sin for anyone to be used as political thug. Do not kill or allow yourself to be killed.

    “Endeavour to get your Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and be ready to vote in 2019. Nothing stops you from registering with political parties and be ready for elective positions. We are praying that God will raise faithful people for us.”

    The conference, which is the 61st edition, had as its theme: “Power for Exploit.”

  • Bayelsa govt urges politicians to shun violence

    Bayelsa govt urges politicians to shun violence

    Bayelsa State government has warned politicians against engaging in and sponsoring violence ahead of the general election.

    Information and Orientation Commissioner Mr. Daniel Iworiso Markson said it was wrong for politicians, who should be role models, to perpetrate violence.

    Speaking at an inter-ministerial briefing in Yenagoa, he advised such politicians to change.

    Said he: “Any politician, who takes over the mantle of leadership, should desist from violence. There is need to change the narrative because we do not need to win election through the barrel of gun.”

    Briefing people at the event, Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters Chief Boma Spero-Jack said the government had zero tolerance for crime.

    He said the security outfit, ‘Operation Doo Akpo’, arrested 8,500 suspects in six years for crimes.

    Spero-Jack said the feat was achieved in collaboration with the police command and security infrastructure, built by Governor Seriake Dickson.

    He said the government had concluded arrangements to procure additional gunboats to check pirates’ activities.

    The aide said the state was ranked above other cities with advanced security technological installations, such as Lagos, Abuja and Johannesburg in South Africa.

    He said 16 patrol boats were acquired in 2012 to fight crimes, adding that the security outfit received 39,000 distress calls and 109 commendation calls.

    Spero-Jack described Bayelsa Integrated Security Strategy as a critical aspect of ‘Doo Akpor’, saying it had reduced the outfit’s response time to distress calls to about six minutes within Yenagoa metropolis.

    He attributed the success to the security surveillance equipment installed at the command and the state Security Control Centre (SCC).

    The governor’s adviser said the equipment were modern, which was attested to by Wikipedia.

    A security consultant to the governor, Mr. Fola Amao, highlighted the government’s efforts in implementing its zero tolerance for crime.

    He said the development earned the state a security award by Security Watch Africa as the most effective crime busting squad.

    Following the feat achieved in the security sub-sector, Amao said Bayelsa had been nominated again this year.

    He said the government had set up a juvenile detention centre to enhance security.

    The House of Assembly Committee Chairman on Security, Mr. Bernard Kenbai, representing Sagbama 2, hailed Dickson for his passion in ensuring that Bayelsa remained one of the safest states.

    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Urban Security, Chief Abednego Don Evareda, enjoined the people to see security as a collective responsibility.

  • 2018 poll: Ekiti elders urge politicians to shun violence

    Ahead of the 2018 governorship poll, the Ekiti Council of Elders has advised politicians in the state  to eschew any form of violence that could heat up the polity.

    The elders’ council also advised the youth to either acquire formal education or learn vocations and not see politics as a profession.

    The chairman of the council, Prof. Joseph Oluwasanmi, made the remark on Thursday during an interactive session held by the body with the aged in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

    Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola and the deceased  former Deputy Governor of old Ondo State, the late Chief Akin Omoboriowo, were honoured with the council’s award for their service to humanity.

    Oluwasanmi called on parents to rein in their children and prevent them from being used as political thugs to unleash terror in the run-up to the 2018 governorship election.

  • Amosun, Hon Adijat preach peace, urge Nigerians to shun violence

    Amosun, Hon Adijat preach peace, urge Nigerians to shun violence

    Governor Ibikunle Amosun has called muslim faithful and the rest of Nigerians to shun all forms of corruption and violence even after the Eid-ul-Fitri festival being celebrated all over the world by muslims.

    Similarly, Hon. Adijat Adeleye-Oladapo has urged muslims to continue to pray for the present administrations at the state and national levels to make steady progress and have a successful implementation of their agenda for positive transformation.

    Amosun and Hon. Adeleye – Oladapo made the calls in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, in their separate messages to muslims and Nigerians on the occasion of Eid – el – fitri celebration.

    The Governor in statement by his media aide, Olajuwon Soyinka, congratulated muslim faithful in Nigeria and over the world, for the successful completion of the holy month of Ramadan.

    “Even after Ramadan, let us not forget the values, ethos and virtues we embraced during the holy month,” Governor Amosun said.

    He also seized the occasion to admonish Muslim faithful to imbibe the values represented by Ramadan and make them an integral part of their lives.

    Amosun prayed for peace in all parts of Nigeria while urging Nigerians, irrespective of religious, political and ethnic differences, to come together and work for the prosperity and progress of the nation.

    For Adijat Adeleye-Oladapo, who was a two term member of the Ogun State House of Assembly, muslims nay Nigerians should use this period to pray more for the country, saying “beyond the festivity, Nigerians should also pray for the restoration of peace and economic stability.”

     

    “We should use this period to continually pray for the stability of the nation as against the backdrop of challenging security problems plaguing the country.

     

    “Muslim faithful should shun all forms of vices, especially

    violence, that could hinder harmonious existence with people of other faiths.

     

    “They should use the lesson learnt from the Ramadan and the holy Prophet Muhammad’s teachings of piety, love, justice, fairness, equity and peaceful co-existence, to be their watchword in their daily activities,” she sai