2023: Enugu Youths coalition sues for issue-based campaign

By Our Reporter 

As the campaign for the 2023 general elections is set to officially kick off tomorrow (Wednesday), a coalition of youth presidents from Senatorial Districts in Enugu Stata has urged political leaders and stakeholders from various Political parties to adopt an issue-based campaign to ensure peace and stability in the state.

This was contained in a statement jointly signed by Roy Ekwueme, President Nsukka Youths General Assembly, Edeani Edeani
President Nkanu Youths Assembly and Nebo Samuel Ebube, President Enugu west Youths forum on Tuesday and was made available to newsmen.

The coalition also exhorts youths to resist any attempts to be used by politicians to cause chaos in the state before, during, and after the elections, that was even as they urged governorship candidates to develop policies that would be geared toward curbing youth unemployment and youth restiveness.

The statement reads, "as the campaign for 2023 general elections kicks off tomorrow 28 September 2023, we plead with our political leaders and stakeholders from various Political parties to see the maintenance of peace and stability in Enugu state as their collective primary responsibility and thereby make their campaign issues based. 

"This campaign should be based on issues that are affecting our state, zones, local governments, communities, etc, and proffering solutions on how to solve them instead of attacking one another.

"Campaign must be followed in a way that strengthens the unity of our dear state instead of dividing us along any mundane lines be it regional or religious.

"We urge all the Governorship candidates to develop youth-friendly policies especially on how they plan to create unemployment opportunities for youth.

"The focus of Enugu political campaign across all boards should be 'Enugu First' how to drastically reduce dependence on federal allocations, how to harness the digital ingenuity of Enugu state as well as make the state the digital hub of the country, provide agricultural grants, among others.

"As the home for all southeasterners, we should be talking about the tourism industry and building new cities to accommodate the population explosion of the state and technical education," the statement said.

On the use of youths for thuggery during elections, the statement said, "Youths must resist every attempt to be used against ourselves or as thugs by Political leaders, we must understand that at every point in time the personal interests of politicians are what matters to them first.

"We encourage all young persons in Enugu state to make a personal commitment to contribute to the joint effort for the fostering of peace and progress.

"Support whoever you wish to support but let that support be based on strategies to win voters to him/her and not to hurt others, don't hurt your fellow youth for a politician, don't destroy the properties of others for a politician, and don't dare kill for politicians because there is no politician's ambition that worths the blood of another person.

"Let's go through this election period in brotherhood, respect of choices, understanding, and peace so that those that will emerge can easily and readily get to work in delivering democratic dividends to Ndi Enugu state," the coalition said.