NAN-H-43
Forum
By Igbaugba Ehigimetor
Benin, Jan. 16, 2018 (NAN) The 2016 Edo Governorship Candidates Forum (EGCF) on Tuesday appealed to politicians to eschew bitterness as the 2019 general elections approaches.
The forum Chairman, Mr Omorogieva Gbajumo, who was also the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 2016 gubernatorial poll, made the appeal in a statement issued in Benin.
Gbajumo said that politicians owe it as a duty to guard against anything that would undermine peace in the country.
He, therefore, urged them to desist from hate speeches and utterances capable of heating up the polity but instead, strive to win the electorate through their manifestoes.
Gbajumo also warned youths not to allow themselves to be used by those desperate for power and expressed optimism that Nigeria would further consolidate on its democratic growth in the 2019 elections.
“We must guard against repeating all abnormalities that heralded the 2015 general elections where name dropping and character assassination became the order of the day.”
“It is impossible for every candidate in an election to emerge a winner.
“Election is all about contest; we expect that candidates should remain friends after such contest.
“Just as the winner in an election has ideas on how to better the lot of the people while in office, it is also our belief that those who lost also have beautiful ideas they can share with the person who emerged victorious.”
The chairman said that the essence of the forum was for the members to contribute their quota to the development of the state by assisting the governor or government in power.(NAN)
ESI/FF/NKO
==========
Edited by Fela Fashoro/Nkechi Okoronkwo