Ikuru (Rivers) – Chief Aaron Ikuru, the Paramount Ruler of Ikuru town in Rivers, on Friday urged youths to be vanguards of the nation`s democracy by ensuring credible elections.
Ikuru made the remark while inaugurating the new executive of Ikuru Town Youth Council in Ikuru town in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers.
The traditional ruler also urged youths to continue to adhere to free and fair principle to avoid electoral offences.
He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strengthen collaboration between youth bodies and the security agencies to check irregularities during elections .
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Ikuru said that the country’s democracy would be more stable when Nigerian youths developed the determination not to allow themselves to be used as tools for election rigging.
He said instances of such act in the past had given rise to the frequent elections re-run experienced in parts of the country.
“The entire electoral processes from planning to budgeting and strategies in any given political system may be wasted if youths in such system fail to respect the sanctity of the ballot,“ he said.
He commended the peaceful conduct of the 2016 Youth election that constituted the new executive in the area.
“My cabinet is conscious of the roles of the youths in enhancing our administration’s support-base, hence, the need for a proficient youth executive which we are inaugurating today,” he said.
Mr Gilbert Charles, the new Chairman of Ikuru Town Youth Council, thanked the youths for availing him with the opportunity to serve them and promised to work within the guidelines of the community’s rules.
Charles said the executive would run an All-inclusive Government to allow both past youth leaders and his opponents who lost in the election to contribute toward actualising a formidable youth group.
He also assured that the executive would partner with security agencies to fight crime in the community.
He pledged the executive`s preparedness to collaborate with the Council of Chiefs to work toward attracting peace and development to the community.
Mr Cyril Minini, Chairman of the election Organising Committee, commended the youths and the Security operatives for their contributions toward a peaceful election. (NAN)