The Former President of Nigeria Good-luck Jonathan and Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State have called for abrupt adoption of electronic voting system to curb election rigging and violence.
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Jonathan and Diri spoke yesterday at the Third Synod of the Diocese of Ogbia at St Mark’s Anglican Church, Otakeme in the state.
Jonathan blamed the rising insecurity in the country on activities of politicians who are hell-bent on grabbing power through the backdoor, against the popular wish of the people, saying electronic voting would checkmate them.
Our political activities, particularly the use of young people as militiamen and thugs and so on to win elections has increased the security challenges facing our nation. Some of the youths they use are so protected that even the police cannot arrest them because they are ‘boys’ to powerful politicians who use them during elections.
“That is why I have always advocated that for us to move forward, we must use electronic voting where nobody will use thugs to win votes immediately we use electronic voting, issues of thuggery and cultism will drop by at least 50 per cent,” he said.
Represented at the occasion by his deputy, Mr Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the Bayelsa governor urged youths to avoid politicians who use them to achieve their selfish political goals only to abandon them afterwards.
He noted that the only way youths could resist the temptation of going into thuggery and cultism was to love and appreciate himself or herself as a unique creation of God.
Diri, also used the occasion to call on people of the state to key into the administration’s prosperity agenda, by embracing agriculture and small scale businesses to better their lot.
Like our father (the former President) said earlier, I want to encourage our youths to resist evil politicians who do not mean well for them. If they invite you to carry guns, ask them, where are your children? You must learn to love yourself above any politician.
For us as a government, we are determined to improve the lives of our people. And our focus is to see how prosperity can be engendered. Prosperity is not engendered by coming to beg a politician to give you something to eat.
The man who teaches you how to fish is better than the one who gives you fish. To be taking fish from a politician every day is to be dependent,” he said.
“So, we are ready to make our youths self-reliant and prosperous by teaching them how to fish in agriculture and other legitimate endeavours,” he explained.
Both leaders made financial donations to the Ogbia Diocese and urged the clergy and laity not to relent in their prayers for the state in particular and the country in general.
Delivering his address, President of the Synod and Bishop of Ogbia Diocese, Rt. Rev. James Aye-Oruwori, cautioned the Federal Government against using its Companies and other Allied Matters Act (CAMA) to undermine the sacred place of the church in society.
He said the theme of this year’s synod tagged: ‘I Am That I Am’ emphasizes the self-existent nature of God, who is in perfect control of all situations.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
