The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on politicians and all stakeholders to show interest in activities at the polling units and collation centres on November 16, during the governorship poll in Kogi State.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. James Apam, made the call in Lokoja on Saturday.
He was addressing participants at the end of a peace walk organised by the commission to sensitise citizens on the coming election.
Apam said that the interest of stakeholders in the activities was important, so as to have a free, fair, credible and acceptable election.
He said that the INEC, on its part, was determined to conduct a clean and credible election, promising that votes would count in the poll.
The REC urged the stakeholders to collectively resist any attempt to disrupt the election.
Apam particularly warned youths not to allow unscrupulous politicians to use them to disrupt the poll.
He charged them to resist being used to snatch ballot boxes or cause violence.
The REC said that INEC, in collaboration with other partners, would sustain the ongoing efforts to have peaceful election.
He commended the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) for the assistance it had rendered toward achieving a peaceful election.
The National Treasurer of the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS), Mr Noah Agada, and the State Organising Secretary of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Mr Ismail Abdulahi, also spoke at the event.
They urged their members to be peaceful before and during the election, reiterating their support for the INEC on its efforts to have a clean and credible election.
“We, the youth, form the majority voters in the state; if the election is disrupted, it is youths that will be held responsible.
“If they offer you money to rig and disrupt the election, say no, reject it,” Abdulahi added.
The INEC Youth Ambassador, Mr Alex Kool, in his address, charged the youth to come out en masse to vote for the candidate of their choice, saying that the election was about their future.
He charged them to resist vote buying and to be vigilant at the polling units and collation centres on the day of election so as to ensure that nothing untoward happened.
The representative of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) at the event, Rev. Danjuma Ageni, called for peace before, during and after the election.
He advised politicians to play according to rule and drop any plan to abort the wish of the people by rigging the forthcoming election.
Ageni said that the NOA would join hands with the INEC to conduct a clean, credible and peaceful election, urging all stakeholders to key into the effort.
