NOA Intensifies Campaign Against Violence

The National Orienta
tion Agency (NOA) in Ebonyi yesterday pledged to intensify its campaign against violence before, during and after the general elections.
Dr Emma Abah, the NOA’s Director in Ebonyi, told newsmen in Abakaliki that politicians should watch their utterances during their campaign.
He warned politicians against using inflammatory and abusive languages during their electioneering campaigns.
He said the agency has been moving from one village to another to educate the people on INEC guidelines, procedures for election and teaching them how to thump print, among others.
“We have noticed some irregularities and malpractices during parties’ ongoing campaign; some people are using inflammatory and abusive languages and destroying opponents’ posters and billboards.
“We are not happy about this; this is not part of the democratic process.
“We have been talking with politicians, candidates and their followers to be cautious and to avoid use of dirty languages, which could lead to violence.
“Parents and guardians are also warned to prevent their children from engaging in the electoral violence in order to stay alive.
“NOA has intensified its campaign against violence in the state moving from village to village,” Abah said.
He said the agency has been addressing electorate across the state on the need to turn out in large numbers to exercise their voting right.
Abah urged the traditional rulers and community leaders to address their subjects, women groups, and followers to eschew violence.
He said the agency was also collaborating with some of these groups and opinion leaders in its campaign against violence.
The director said that the campaign, which has been inaugurated at the Local Government level, would be carried to wards by the chief orientation officers.
Abah urged the police in the state to continue in its efforts to mop up small arms and light weapons from youths and politicians before the election.

L-R: Provost, Federal College of Technology, Ehaoamafu, Prof. Benjamin Mbah, Managing Director, Peace Mass Transit Limited, Mr Sam Onyshi, Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof Polycarp Chigbo and a beneficiary of a Scholarship Award, UNN Eletronics Engineering Student, Mr Asogwa Chukwuemeka, during Samuel Maduka Onyishi African Entrepreneurship Foundation Scholarship Award ceremony.