Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, has urged politicians and lawmakers to stop recruiting unemployed youths to disrupt elections, warning that such practices fuel post-election insecurity.
Speaking during Wednesday’s plenary, the former Edo State governor said v+olence has no place in democracy and blamed political actors for empowering th¥gs during elections.
“After every election, v+olent crimes rise because politicians who armed hungry youths can’t retrieve the w£apons. Those arms are then used for robbery and other crimes,” he said.
Oshiomhole recalled warning fellow governors years ago that AK-47 r+fles were not items just anyone could afford, implying that only influential figures could sponsor electoral v+olence.
He emphasized the need for sincerity among politicians, urging them to allow Nigerians to “hire and fire without fear” through credible elections. “If we truly commit to eliminating v+olence, we will have free, fair, and transparent elections,” he said.
The senator added that the true beauty of democracy lies not in holding office but in earning the people’s trust. “If you rig or manipulate elections, deep in your heart, you know you’re not a happy person,” he noted.
Oshiomhole also cautioned against conducting presidential, governorship, and National Assembly elections on the same day and called for vigilance against hackers as Nigeria deepens its use of election technology.
He concluded, “We, as senators and elected officials, must resolve never to arm or use unemployed youths to disr¥pt elections. Once we stop that, 90 percent of our electoral problems will be solved.”
