By Omos Oyinbode, Asaba
As campaigns for the 2015 presidential elections finally come to a close, Delta State children, yesterday, held Asaba city down calling for peaceful conduct of the general elections, believing that children and mothers are the major refugees and victims of electoral violence in any democratic setting.
Tagged “a million children march for peaceful conduct of the Saturday elections”, the children called on all political parties and candidates not to allow a repeat of the violence that followed the general elections of 2011, saying the future and unity of Nigeria depended on the outcome of the Saturday Presidential elections.
The children, who were drawn from the Nigeria Police Children School in Asaba, the Delta State capital, said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would either make or mar Nigeria on Saturday in the way it handles the conduct of the elections.
President of the children, Miss Theodora Otitilichukwu, said “for most of us children we are witnessing elections for the very first time, many of us heard of how it was conducted in 2011. From what we saw and heard from rallies all over the country, we pray God will keep Nigeria together after the elections.
“Today, we shout NO to violence, NO to repeat of what happened after the 2011 elections, we call on political parties and politicians to embrace peace, vote for peace first before voting for your choice candidate. This is the decision of the Nigerian children. This decision is not negotiable. We stand for peace and peace we must have.
“Our destiny as a nation depends on what happens on Saturday. We are entering another phase of nationhood, what happens on Saturday will determine where we stand as a nation. We, as children, stand for peace, free and fair elections”.
Miss Otitilichukwu said despite the cultural, religious and traditional differences, Nigeria must remain an indivisible entity as violence only destroys destiny but does no one any good.
Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was represented by Commissioner for Information, Chike Ogeah, said the need for peaceful elections cannot be quantified as its aftermath falls majorly on children and mothers.
He said Nigerians needed leaders who would not be products of violence but products of peaceful elections, noting that if adults are not ready for peace, but for the sake of Nigerian children, all politicians should embrace peace and shun violence.
He said in Delta State, there has never been any act of violence during elections saying the Saturday and April 11 elections will also be conducted without violence in the state.
He called other states to emulate what obtains in Delta during elections.
National Coordinator of Children Government in Nigeria, organizer of the march, Mr. Patrick Ikpeme, said Nigerians are afraid of March 28 and April 11 elections, as some groups are calling for war while some are calling for violence.
He said the children of Nigeria are saying that “even though they are not voting the consequences of Nigerians’ choice affect their lives, they cannot run or continue with their education when there is crisis, hence they are saying NO to any form of violence as the elections kick off on Saturday”.
