Youths in some communities in Plateau signed peace agreement on Thursday in Jos, as part of efforts for peaceful elections.
As efforts get tightened for gubernetorial and state houses of assembly elections on Saturday,relevant stakeholders lend their voices on the need for a peaceful and credible conduct of the polls.
The Plateau youth peace treaty was signed during a citizen’s interactive session with vulnerable groups on peaceful and credible elections, organised by Centre for Peace Advancement in Nigeria CEPAN with support from Search for Common Ground.
The agreement was signed by communities from Jos North and South Local Government Areas comprising Tudun-Wada, Ungwan Rogo, Rikkos and Gada-biyu, among others.
Rev. Samuel Goro, the Executive Director of CEPAN, said youths should be peace ambassadors and must shun any action that could trigger violence.
He said that for a violent free election, certain measures must be complied with, saying that people should not be forced to vote for candidates against their wishes adding that open campaign on election day should not be allowed.”
He urged youths to desist from drugs intake and engaging in unnecessary arguments during the elections, saying it could provoke negative reactions.
He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make reliable arrangements for their logistics to ensure successful polls as Uneccesary delay in conveying electoral materials to polling units and incomplete materials have been found to cause agitations by youths who perceive
deprivation of their right to vote their choice leaders.
Rev Goro further urged INEC not to delay result announcement and to avoid cancelling elections without evidence of electoral malpractice because this could trigger negative reactions too.”
Miss Grace Dalla from Jos North Local Government Area, said some People With Disabilities (PWDs) had challenges accessing their polling units, saying some forms for their data were not issued.
She, however, added that the people were among the first to vote during election.
Mr Abdullahi Musa , a youth leader from Unguwan Rogo, cautioned party supporters against “violent” celebrations after elections, saying that the attitude was unwholesome and could trigger violence.
Those at the interactive session included reformed drug addicts, women leaders and youth leaders who served as peace ambassadors in their various communities.