Up to 35 youth organisations under the auspices of Anambra State Governorship Debate Group (ASGDG), has backed decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to go on with the state November 6 poll despite the insecurity.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had at an emergency meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) held at Abuja on October 5, assured that the guber poll must hold as planned but urged leaders to improve the security situation.
Addressing a press conference in Awka, Thursday, Mr Uchechukwu Ekpere Paul, the Chairman ASGDG, said the group which include Nigeria Must Be Great Again (NMBGA), Nigeria Youth Decide (NYD), Diamond Youth Transformation Initiative (DYTI), Youth Wing Christian Association Of Nigeria, and Jama’atul Nasiru Islam (JNI), would contribute their qouta to ensure that the exercise was hitch free and without aparthy.
According to Uchechukwu, ASGDG was also planning a governorship debate aimed at galvanising electorate in the state to interact, assess, examine and evaluate the pedigree and potentials the contenstants have to offer.
“On the other hand, it will afford the candidates an ample opportunity to air their views and visions as they affect the cause and interest of the youths who constitute 60 percent of the 5.4 million population, amounting to 40% of the total youth population in the state.
“We wish to appreciate the South East leaders in their recent effort to ameliorate the security challenges in the zone. More so, we call on Anambra State government to do more in interfacing with the aggrieved members of the society in order to improve on the security situations in the state. If this is achieved, we believe it will guarantee adequate security of lives and properties of both the citizens and residents,” he said.
Contributing, some representatives of the 35 youth organisations, Comrade Charles Ebilite of Noble Citizens Human Welfare Development, and Me Kingsley Nwabueze, State Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Youth Wing, appealed to both electorate and Governorship candidates to participate on their planned gubernatorial debate as it would also help to sensitise the masses on importance of voting.
