The Ogun State governor in South-West Nigeria, Dapo Abiodun, has called on Nigerians to avoid actions capable of provoking one another and leading the nation to another national conflict.
“Stop beating drums of war,“ he declared.
Abiodun who said this during a special Church Service to mark the 2023 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration, held at the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, Ake, Abeokuta, urged Nigerians who are fond of beating the drum of war to desist from such action as the general election was drawing closer.
“Let me call on all of us, we must do everything to ensure that we avoid actions that are capable of provoking one another, actions that are capable of leading us to war or any other national conflict.
“For people constantly beating the drum of war, let us ensure that particularly, as we prepare for the 2023 general elections, we do not do anything to over heat the polity,” he said.
The governor noted that his administration in the last three and half years has lowered the political temperature in the state and allowed every political party to go about marketing their franchise, appealed to all Nigerians to participate in the forthcoming general elections.
Similarly, Abiodun called on youths in Nigeria to shun all acts of violence and urged parents and guardians to ensure that their children and wards are not used as thugs during the forth-coming election.
“We must ensure that we participate in this electoral process, we’ve been advised that the Independent National Electoral Commission has now made the Permanent Voter’s Card available at different wards, we enjoin you to please go and collect your PVCs, because, without your PVCs, you will not be able to exercise your franchise.
“We want to enjoin you that as responsible citizens, they say that a people deserve the leaders that they choose, you will not be able to choose your future leaders if you do not collect your PVCs, you will not be able to be part of the Renewed Hope for Nigeria if you do not collect your cards.
“I want to appeal to the youths who are also today’s future, please, shun all acts of violence, thuggery, cultism and drug abuse and our parents, do not allow your children to be used as thugs in the cause of this 2023 general elections,” he added.
Abiodun emphasized that his administration would continue to remember its fallen heroes by giving support to them through the Nigeria Legion.
He called on good spirited individuals and organisations to come to the aid of the families left behind by the nation’s fallen heroes.
In his message with the theme: “Remembrance of our giants,“ the Bishop of United African Methodist Church, Abeokuta, the Rt. Revd. Noah Olabisi, who took his sermon from the Book of Proverbs, described January 15 as a date set aside to remember the great men and women who died defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria.
Adekanbi, while commending the sacrifices of the fallen heroes as one that had helped to make Nigeria stronger, made a case for the families they left behind, saying that the families would need the prayers, financial and material support of the people.
The clergyman prayed for a peaceful election that would be free from bloodshed and acrimony, adding that what the nation needed at the moment were leaders and not rulers.
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