2023: Ex NOA Director Tasks Kaltungo Youths On Active Participation
As the campaigns for this year’s general elections by political parties intensifies, youths in Kaltungo Chiefdom have been challenged to actively engage and interrogate candidate’s capabilities to address issues affecting the development of their respective communities.
A former Director of the National Orientation Agency NOA, Mr Ado Solomon who threw the challenge at a one-day sensitisation lecture organised by the youth Wing of Tangale East Progressive Union TEPU in Kaltungo Saturday, also enjoined them to conduct themselves orderly before, during and after the elections.
The former NOA director who was the Guest Speaker at the sensitisation lecture with the theme “Our Communities and the 2023 elections,” harped on the need for young people to take election matters seriously as it determine their present and future lives.
Solomon who commended the youths for being politically active on social media however cautioned them against hate speech, religious and ethnic profiling which he noted has become apparent in the current political dispensation.
While appreciating the usage of Information and Communication Technology tools in modern societal engagements, Solomon warned the youths against misuse or abuse maintaining that doing the contrary could bring about negative consequences on society.
He further advised them to ensure they collect their PVCs to enable them exercise their constitutional franchise of voting into office their preferred representatives at all levels of governance without hindrance.
The NOA former director also warned them against voter apathy and vote selling reminding them that the only way out of the present suffering of their communities, “is to ensure that they use their PVCS wisely.”
He called on the leadership of TEPU to create a forum that would allow every candidate in Gombe South to face and interact with the electorates for proper assessment of who and who has the wherewithal to effectively represent the interest of the people and to also enable them make informed decisions before casting their votes
Solomon also argued that days were gone when people are deceived into blind voting of political parties and denied the opportunity of knowing what the candidates have to offer citing fake promises and repeated open lies of providing water,roads,education, health and agricultural inputs.
He further warned the youths in strong words to actively engage in political activities devoid of thuggery, violence, maiming or killing of fellow citizens as only the healthy and the living enjoys the outcome of elections.
Earlier, providing the audience with the background and intent of the public sensitisation lecture, the convener and national president of youth Wing of Tangale East Progressive Union,Comrade Bibi Dauda Jatau, explained that the idea and choice of topic for the lecture was informed by the need to bring Tangale East youths on board of political engagement and participation as the 2023 elections approaches.
He admonished young people in the state to shine their eyes, while engaging in political activities warning them against all forms of violence which he said is alien to the area.
The Chairman of the occasion, Captain Maku Filibus Yurkushi, admonished the youths to take educational pursuit seriously,engage in entrepreneurship skills and pursuit of legitimate sources of living to remain useful to themselves, families and community.
In their goodwill messages,Professors Saliba James of University of Maiduguri,Salisu Ali Rakum of Federal University Kashere, a former Commissioner in Gombe State,Mr Ezekial Amin,Director Remote Sensing Jos Plateau State,Mr Efron Gajere and many others commended the organisers for their foresight and charged the participants to step down lessons derived from the lecture praying for Peaceful, Credible, Transparent and acceptable elections.
Report written by Peter Mele
