Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has cautioned politicians in Enugu and other South-East States to stop engaging in wicked and malicious political campaigns.
This was contained in a statement made available to Daily Post, Friday morning, by the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike.
He said it was disturbing that even while the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has not blown the whistle for campaigns, there were already trending videos in the State where politicians were raining abusive words on their opponents.
Okwu said such development was not welcomed as it would amount to taking the State back to the evil days, where thuggery reigned supreme.
He stated that, “We are worried over the choice of words in certain videos currently in circulation in Enugu State. This is certainly not the way to go.
“Campaign should be issue-based, not blackmailing people. We do not comprehend a situation where leaders are making careless utterances even while the campaign has not commenced.
“One thing they must take cognisance of is that 2023 will come and go but what has been said will be difficult to erase.
“This development is unacceptable as such utterances can provoke violence. We are already battling insecurity in the South-East; we can’t add thuggery to it because of politicians.”
“Specifically, we don’t want the kind of hate speech from Barr. Okey Ezea (Ideke) from Enugu State. Elders should not start behaving like kids.”
“These are the same people who had told the Governor before now that they would follow his direction in 2023, but because their choice candidate was not chosen, they now want to set the State ablaze; it is unacceptable; we are not going to let them succeed,” the OYC leader declared.
He added that as campaign commences later this month, “we call for decorum, civility, policy-based. No form of character assassination will be entertained.”
