The Tiv Traditional Council (TTC) has advised all the traditional rulers to desist from acts that will drag the name of traditional institutions in Benue State in the mud before, during and after the 2023 general elections
This is even as the council warned those in the habit of disrupting elections to steer clear or face severe sanction by the council.
The representative of the Makurdi traditional council, MueTer, Ihyarev, his royal majesty Simon Ajoh, who issued the warning during the stakeholders engagement by the United States Institutes of Peace (USIP) Network of Nigerian Facilitators held in Makurdi disclosed that any traditional ruler involved in political crises will be suspended immediately and derobed if found guilty.
According to him, “the Tiv Traditional Council has held several meetings with all the political actors in Benue State, where it was clearly stated that any Tiv son, daughter and even residents found indulging in political violence before, during and after the general elections will be sanctioned severely by the council”
Also speaking, the representative of the Nigerian Police, ASP Fred Ameh, and his counterpart from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC) Yunusa Amodu, said security personnel are ready to ensure peaceful elections before, during and after elections. They warned those in the habit of snatching ballot boxes to desist from doing so.
They said, “gone are the days when snatching of ballot boxes were seen as no offense this time around if you snatch ballot box, security personnel stationed 30 metres away from the polling units will gun you down.
“The role of Security personnel in before, during and after election is clearly spelt in the guideline booklet and we want to warn here that any security personnel found wanting will be sanction according to the law”
In an address, the state chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Akpen Leva, disclosed that the church had commenced sensitizing her members against indulging in unwholesome acts before, during and after elections since last year.
He said, “we has train election observers and the church has further advise politicians against campaigning on religious leanings, because doing so will tear the country apart, so our is peace, fair and credible election”
Relatedly, Secretary, Jaa matu Nasil Islam (JNI), Mallam Ahmad Baba, said they have long ago engaged in sensitisation and educating their people on orderliness before, during and after the elections, especially the youths.
The state chairperson, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Mrs Betty Tsughum who also doubled as the representative of the women, disclosed that the women were doing a lot behind the scene to ensure that the forthcoming elections were peaceful.
Earlier, the representative of the youth, Miss Emmanuella Ikyomun, assured that they would not availed themselves to be used negatively by money bags politicians in the forthcoming elections
The state Coordinator, USIP, Saa Aungwa and her counterpart Kengkeng Ati intimated that the aim of the meeting is to engage stakeholders to x-ray challenges faced before during and after elections and as well device ways of nibbing them in the bud
