Nigeria: Don't Die for Any Politician - CAN

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kaduna State chapter has advised youths to avoid sacrificing their lives for any politician by keeping away from violence in next month's elections.
Speaking at a one-day sensitisation seminar/awareness on voter education and violent-free elections organis
ed by CAN through the Directorate of Education, Women and Youth Development, CAN secretary, Reverend Sunday Ibrahim, told the youths drawn from the 23 LGAs of the state that no politician is worth dying for.
"If you die today, the politicians you died for will continue with their political pursuits. Any politician urging you to engage in any form of violence is not only a wicked fellow but can be referred to as an enemy of God, because violence is not an attribute of God. Our God is a God of peace and as such we are peace loving people but if a politician insists on using you for violence, tell such a politician and his children to lead the battle but a situation where they hide their families in London and Dubai among others while they stay back to beat the war drum will not be tolerated by Christians," he said.
He appealed to the youths to resist violence and rigging but embrace the principle of 'one man, one vote'.
"If they have their way and turn the country into chaos, refuse to follow the path of violence because it is youths like you that will suffer the casualties. So use your cards to effect change and not dagger," he added.
overnor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero who was represented by a director in the Bureau of Religious Affairs, Mr. Barnabas Ali, said the present administration is committed to maintaining peace, and it would not allow any one to hide under the cover of politics to plunge the state into crisis.
According to him, security agents will be empowered to respond to any crisis.
Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (SIECOM) chairman, Mrs. Hannatu Binyat, appealed to the youths to ensure that what happened after the 2011 general elections does not repeat itself. She commended CAN for organising the forum