Nov. guber poll: Youths caution aspirants, trouble makers over party primaries

The youths of Anambra State have cautioned those planning to cause trouble as political parties begin to conduct primaries to choose candidates for the November 18 governorship election in the state to perish the idea or face the wrath of the youths as well as security operatives.

The youths under the aegis of Coalition of Anambra State Youths, stated that 1000 of them have been mobilised to monitor activities of political parties including their congresses, saying that they were on ground during All Progressives Congress (APC) primary which held at the weekend.

The state coordinator of the coalition, Hon Okoli Onyekachi, who spoke in Awka, the state capital, cautioned parents not to allow their children to be used in disrupting the ample peace in the state, while also calling on supporters of those who lost and winners to comport themselves to ensure that peace reigned throughout the election.

In a statement, Onyekachi said: “The coalition of youth organisations in Anambra State has come together to warn aspirants planning chaos if they don’t win ticket, that their plans will not be tolerated in the state.

“We are warning youths sponsored for such exercise to stay away from venue as force will be met with force, and parents should warn their wards too. We know all aspirants and their supporters, so we will also know those who come out for trouble and will work with security operatives to arrest not only them but their sponsors too”.

He continued: “Election is not do or die, and Anambra Youths are not ready to allow any individual bring terror to the state, so it must remain a peaceful exercise.
“The warning is not only for APC primaries, but subsequent ones coming after Saturday in the state”.
He said it was gathered that some aspirants have recruited thugs to cause mayhem if they don’t win at the primaries, adding that they have obtained police permit to operate at the venues of primaries.

Onyekachi said the coalition was also motivated to take this action based on the life that was said to have been lost during UPP primaries.

“Starting from APC primaries, 1,000 youths will converge at venues of the primaries to monitor the exercises, and we will deal with anybody who tries anything funny to cause chaos during or after the exercise”.

Stories by Alphonsus Nweze