Ahead of next Saturday’s Presidential election, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCDA) has assured Abuja residents that the election will be free, fair, and peaceful in the nation’s capital.
Permanent Secretary, Adesola Olusade stated this when he received Abuja Resident Youth Association at his office in Abuja on Tuesday.
Abuja Resident Youth Association was on a rally tagged “Your Vote, Your Right Use it for Peace”.
The Youths were seen carrying play cards with inscriptions like “Use your PVC for Peace”, “Vote don’t fight”, “we are not tools in the hands of trouble makers” and “We are for free, fair, credible, and peaceful elections” among others.
Olusade who assured the election will be peaceful in FCT, appealed that “Youths should not allow themselves to be used for political violence”.
He continued “We want to appreciate you for sustaining the peace in Abuja. We commend you for maintaining peace despite the challenges we are having.
“We have seen by the day how the government is working to address these challenges. We appeal that you give the government time to address the challenges.
“More importantly, on Saturday we have the responsibility to make our vote count. Our vote counts when we use our PVC, the power that we have.
“The government is doing a lot to ensure that your vote counts. And we believe that the outcome will reflect the desire of the majority of Nigerians including the youths.
“I want to assure that the FCT Administration under the leadership of the Honourable Minister, Musa Bello in collaboration with stakeholders will ensure that the process is peaceful”.
Earlier in her remarks, FCTA Director Reforms Coordination and Service Improvement, Dr. Jummai Ahmadu appealed that you shun violence.
She stated ” We must not allow our future to be mortgage, because you are the future of the country. So we should work together as a team to ensure that development is sustainable and the election is peaceful.
“We urge the youths and other stakeholders in the FCT to join us by the way of engaging residents to ensure that the elections are conducted peacefully.
“FCT as we know is the center of Nigeria and everything must be in other. This is because others are going to emulate what we are doing for the youth and the residents.
“We enjoy the Youths to go round to sensitive the residents about the need for free, fair and peaceful election”.
On his part, President Abuja Resident Youth Association, Comrade Akoshile Mukhtar said they have resolved to corporate with security agencies to ensure that the forthcoming is peaceful.
Comrade Mukhtar who passed a vote of confidence on the FCTA leadership disclosed that they have set up a platform to share election security information for the safety of all.
On what birthed the rally, the President explained that “following several town hall meetings where we sensitized young persons on the need to conduct themselves with decorum as aspiring leaders, we held an extraordinary congress on Saturday 18th February 2023 at the Old Parade Ground. Abuja. At this congress, it was unanimously resolved and the same resolve is being formally transmitted to you that:
Comrade Mukhtar further stated “youth of Abuja are committed to peace and have resolved to work with all stakeholders and people of goodwill to ensure that the coming general elections in the territory are peaceful and rancor free.
“We equally resolve to cooperate with the security agencies, as we have always done hitherto, to provide useful and actionable information on detractors of Nigeria’s democratic journey in the FCT.
“We have set up information sharing channels which we shall be availing the authorities of for ensuring a rancor-free election in Abuja.
“We assure the FCTA of our consistent commitment to the continued corporate existence of Abuja and Nigeria as a whole”.
