Students and youths in Akwa Ibom State have been enjoined to re-dedicate themselves and join hands to ensure peaceful, free and credible general elections in the state.

Chairman of the state Ethical and Attitudinal Re-orientation Commission (EARCOM), Deaconess Christy Obot, gave the charge at a sensitisation forum held with students of the state-owned College of Education, Afaha Nsit in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area.

Deaconess Obot decried “the recruitment and misuse of students and youths as thugs by never-do-well politicians.” She said the time has come for the students to “reject such deadly offer and let them use their children, wives and other relations as thugs.”

The chairman, accompanied by commissioners and management staff of the Commission, tasked citizens of the state, especially students, to note that the society has to be built on good morals and not destroyed through evil deeds. “If the people can build a society that love is allowed to penetrate every place, you will be the happier ones and the generations to come will also have a better foundation to grow,” she stated.

Deaconess Obot encouraged the students to “go out on election days, as rescheduled, and exercise your franchise by voting for candidates of your choice.”

The EARCOM boss stated that the commission decided to visit the institution because of the students’ population since they are an enlightened society that could change the Nigerian way of thinking and making the youths to be more patriotic by refusing to be used as thugs and miscreants on election days.

Responding, the Provost of the College, Dr. Patrick Uko, expressed appreciation to EARCOM for embarking on the sensitisation visit and disclosed that arrangement is in top gear for the institution to provide ICT in the next academic session, in its effort to check the volume of paper work in the college.