The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) on Tuesday advised youths in Cross to acquaint themselves with issues and importance of voter education to ensure a successful election in 2019.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner ( REC ) in the state, Dr Briyai Frankland, gave the advice in Calabar at a “Young Emerging Political Leaders’ forum organised by Hit Fm radio station.
Frankland, in his paper, entitled: “Raising Incorruptible Leaders’’, said that adequate voter education for youths would lead to high voter turnout during the elections.
He said that youth leaders needed to embrace the exercise ahead of the elections, adding that this would lead to massive youth participation in the election.
“Youths should be used as tools for voter education rather than tools for thuggery, violence and other electoral malpractices.
“When youths are properly informed, they will participate well in the processes of elections and make positive contributions.
“Adequate information and voter education by the youths will go a long way to achieving free and fair election in Cross River and Nigeria,’’ he said.
According to the REC, knowledge of electoral offences by the youths will reduce incidents of violence, thuggery and other social vices during elections.
He said that it was due to the strategic role of youths in electoral process that INEC entered into Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU ) with the National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC ) to use corps members during elections.
Frankland recalled that INEC had in recent past appointed some influential youths as its ambassadors and also established youth clubs in secondary schools and tertiary institutions across the country.
According to him, this was to assist the organisation in inculcating electoral values in the youths while they were in school.
He advised them not to see election as do-or-die but to learn the new idea of “the loser congratulating the winner’’ at all levels of election in Nigeria.
Frankland urged the youths to be upright in all their endeavours and to shun violence and all forms of malpractices during elections.
He also advised them to resist politicians who would want to use them for election rigging and to maintain their integrity at all times.