Ahead of the 2023 elections, a former Students Union leader, John Akinmurele has admonished youths against violence and antics of desperate political elements.
Akinmurele, the President of the Students Union, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Ondo state in 2004, gave the admonition in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Currently, a finance and security expert based in Canada, Akinmurele hailed the Federal Government’s directive to close universities and inter-university centers for three weeks to enable students to exercise their franchise.
“The closing of an academic exercise for three weeks is a welcome development.
“It should be seen as an opportunity for mass participation of students in the elections because every student-voter would be encouraged to participate at their various polling units,” he said.
He enjoined parents and guidance to guide their children and wards accordingly, against moves by politicians who might want to exploit them for their selfish political interests.
According to Akinmurele, Nigerian youths must understand their critical role in the nation’s democracy and rise above being used as political thugs.
“In a democracy, the office of the citizens is the highest office and this is so because of the voting right.
“Nigerian youths have displayed capacity in Tech Startups, entertainment, sports, digital economy, etc. So, who says we are not capable of politics?
“Now is the time to prove our critics wrong and I want to advise that we should become the inspiration of our colleagues and the generation coming after us,” he said.
According to him, as we go to the polls, we need to take ownership of Nigeria from our respective polling units.
“If we desire a better Nigeria, we must start from our polling units no matter how insignificant it is.
“We need to stand up for the ideals of participatory democracy, reasoning over violence, service over selfishness”.
He cautioned against vote-buying and its consequences on development, particularly in Ondo state where he hails for.
Akinmurele said it was unfortunate that the slogan “Dibo ko sebe” (sell your vote and use the proceed to cook soup) was popularised in Ondo state during previous elections.
He advised the people not to sell their hope of liberation from poverty and hunger on the altar of election day handouts.
“We got to this despicable low level because of the draconian and deliberate actions of our political leaders to perpetually keep us as paupers whom they could manipulate.
“We are in another period of elections, even from now till 2024 gubernatorial elections in the state.
“They will come again; they have starched away our common heritage, waiting for the period of elections to becloud our common sense of judgment.
“We must be determined like never before, we must rise up, take our destinies in our hands, and brace up for a paradigm shift and a new order,” he said.
While lamenting the high rate of hunger, poverty, and insecurity in the state, Akinmurele advised the electorate to reject politicians’ promises of deceit.
According to him, Ondo state is blessed with natural and human resources and should not be in the league of states owing workers their wages.