Political violence not surprising – Utomi

 By Hugo Odiogor

LAGOS - Professor Pat Utomi, the Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Mega Party, SDMP, has expressed no surprise at the spate of political violence in the country even as the election days draw nearer.

He said the violence should actually be expected as “we have jointly created the social condition necessary for the incidence of violence.” He said this when responding to the questions of a news reporter, weekend, in Lagos .

“I am not surprised at the renewed spate of violence as we progress towards the election month,” he said. “We actually asked for it by creating the favourable condition for it.”

He explained that the national orientation of seeing politics as an avenue to amass wealth in place of being an avenue for national service is the major reason for the violence.

“The general citizenry as well as the civil society organisations must take responsibility for allowing public office holders to exercise power without accountability.

When we look on politics as an avenue for amassing wealth instead of an arena for service, there is no way we would not have this kind of situation on our hands. It is more lucrative and even easier to be a politician than being an armed robber or a 419er.