By Cletus Opukeme, Warri
Ahead of 2023 general elections, the religious leaders in Nigeria have been advised to stop making hate speeches and meddling into politics, but should preach peace, harmony, unity and assist the governments to build and develop the nation.
Former Deputy Director and Head of Department, Petroleum Analysis Laboratory, Petroleum Training Institute PTI, Effurun, Delta State, Alhaji Abdu Dauda, made the call in an interview on Thursday in Warri, Delta State.
He also cautioned Nigerians to shun religious sentiments and that the elections should not be about Christian or Muslim, but electing the best candidates who have the capacity to deliver when elected.
” Good enough, the presidential candidates of the major political parties were former governors and former vice president. Nigerians should take a look at their past records, and assess the presidential candidates based on their past records, what they did and achieved. That is what should determine who we should vote for. We should not be sentimental formed by either ethnic or religious inclination.”
According to him, ” It is possible to have election without violence. We should ensure to strengthen our democracy which must be guided by the constitution and our elections must be seen to be free, fair and transparent. Political parties and politicians should ensure that our electoral processes evolve transparently.”
Dauda, said job creation remains the major solution to curtailing youths reativenes and worsening insecurity in the country.
He advised the federal government and State Governors to formulate policies that will create employments to tackle the menace of youths restiveness, unemployment and insecurity confronting the country.
The Jigawa State indigene, said though government alone cannot employ the youths, but the government can provide the enabling environment for the private sector to strive and succeed to absorb the youths.
He said: ” The increasing rate of youths unemployment is the major cause of youth restiveness, violence and insecurity. And the menace is becoming a threat because youths are graduating annually from various institutions without anything to do and they start engaging in bad things. This is not good for the country.”
Dauda said the government needs to understand the root cause of insecurity and other criminal activities happening in the society, and find lasting solutions to the problems.
” We do not expect to have a society where there is hundred percent security, there is no such place anywhere in the world. However, as a country and government, we must do anything and everything to ensure that our country is safe for all citizens irrespective of religion. Also, jobs should be created for the youths.”
He further advised the federal government to give priority to providing constant power supply to help the private sector and manufacturing companies, adding, ” setting up a small factory to employ a few Nigerians, and run the factory on costly Diesel, is consuming and discouraging. Government must adress the issue of power supply.”
