A chieftain of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, Hon. Innocent Ajaelu, has called on politicians and political parties in the state to shun the use of hate speech during the campaigns for the 2023 general elections.
Ajaelu, who is also the SDP candidate for Oyigbo Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly, made the call while speaking with LEADERSHIP Weekend in Port Harcourt yesterday.
He appealed to the electorate to look out for candidates that have what it takes to be leaders, saying the 2023 election is not about political parties but individuals.
He said: “I want to tell Rivers people that the presidential campaigns have started and in a few days, that of the governorship will also start. I want to urge all candidates to speak on issues, talk to people, convince people on the reasons why they should follow you.
“The electorate should not listen to candidates based on their sweet talks, but listen to candidates and choose who to vote for. The awareness among the electorate now is higher than previous electioneering campaign periods, especially in 2019.
“Now is not about political parties; it is about candidates. I appeal to the electorate to be observant and look out for competence in the candidates. They should look at experience and accessibility, they should also look for candidates who are intellectually empowered, they should look at somebody that has been tested with power.”
