PORT HARCOURT – The Traditional Ruler of Ogbaland in Rivers, Dr Chukwumela Nnam-Obi II, has called on politicians to avoid making inflammatory statements as the country prepared for elections in February.
Obi, who made the appeal in a statement on Monday in Port Harcourt, also warned youths to resist being used as tools by desperate politicians to cause confusion during or after the elections.
Obi, a former President of Traditional Rulers of Oil and Gas Producing Communities of Nigeria (TROMPCON), called on Nigerians irrespective of status, tribe, sex, religion and political affiliations, to pray for peaceful conduct of the elections.
“Politicians should cast their minds back to the 1953, 1963, 1983, and 1993 elections-episodes and stop using uncomplimentary language that can cause confusion and make innocent people suffer.
“There are some elements amongst us whose stock in trade is geared towards causing trouble through negative actions such as rumours and incitement for their selfish gains at the detriment of Nigerians.
According to the monarch, people should resist these dirty politicians by using the occasion of the new year to dialogue, tolerate and promote understanding in resolving issues that could negatively affect the generality of Nigerians.
Obi urged Journalists not to give publicity to individuals and groups who were bent on heating up the polity by making inciting statements for their selfish gains.
He described the daily hurling of abuses on President Goodluck Jonathan by some respected elder statesmen as a dangerous development that had ridiculed the country’s image in the comity of nations.
He urged President Jonathan not be intimidated; but should continue to remain focused, determined and ignore all side-talks aimed at distracting him.
Obi called on the National Assembly and the Federal Executive Council to bury their differences by working together to address the nation’s security challenges, poverty, corruption, sliding rate of the naira and unemployment.
