By: Felix Ikpotor
As the April date for the local government chairmanship and councillorship election draws closer in Rivers State, a youth leader I the state, Comrade Kingsley Dimkpa has called on youths in the state to come out and present themselves for elective positions on the platforms of any of the political parties.
Dimkpa who is the Coordinator, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in Tai Local Government Area of the state, stated this when he met with some youths in Port Harcourt.
He said the call became necessary as a result of the numerous sentiment and difficulty by candidates in getting endorsement from the major political party because of godfathers.
Dimkpa spoke after some youths alleged that they could not vie positions in the forthcoming elections because godfathers have shared all the slots to their loyalist leaving those of them that don’t have godfathers out of the race.
They also lamented the high cost of obtaining nomination forms from the major political parties in the state.
The Tai NYCN boss encouraged the youths saying that, “Let me be blunt to you, victory come by struggle, is either you struggle to get it or follow the long queue of political slavery”. Politics in Nigeria is based on the ground of who know who and whose relationship is involved, competency and capacity is secondary”.
“So, to get into elective position in Nigeria you most take the bull by the horn. If you have any iota of doubt do your findings how the likes of Senator Magnus Abe, Hon. Abraham Oba, Theophilus D. Ugboja of the 6th legislative assembly in Abia State, Hon. Promise Nwankwo the present House of Assemble Member representing Oyigbo Constituency got into the hallow chambers through opposition. It was not through ruling party”.
The youth leader also called on Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, to ensure the local government election is free, fair and credible to be worthy of reference.
