By peter duru
MAKURDI—A Group under the aegis of Idoma Youth Vanguard, IYV, has cautioned politicians against inciting Benue youths into violence advising that ‘do-or-die politics’ should be jettisoned for issue-based campaigns.

National President of the IYV, Mr. Mike Ogidi Ocheibi, gave this advise in Otukpo, at the flag-off of campaigns for the Benue South Senatorial and gubernatorial elections in the Benue South district.

Ocheibi maintained that the group abhors what it described as deliberate falsehood and lies aimed at denigrating leading personalities who have restored hope to the Idoma nation in the last few years.

The IYV particularly lauded the attainments of the Senate President, David Mark, especially his financial, material and moral support to all Benue youths since the advent of the present political dispensation.

According to the IYV, “Senator Mark has made indelible marks on the sand of our time through his youth-friendly and community-based programmes and therefore deserves the support and encouragement of all our people.”

In his speech, the guest speaker and Pro-Chancellor of Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi, Comrade Abba Moro, regretted that some politicians who have no clear cut agenda on how to develop the Benue South district have continued to mount campaigns of calumny against the only voice of the people in the Senate, warning that such actions were bad signals.

He added that these group of persons should be totally discountenanced in the interest of growth and stability of the Idoma nation.

A renowned educationist and socio-critic, Moro stated that in recent times some opposition politicians in the area have embarked on campaign of calumny against the Senate President all in a bid to pull him down, warning that the attitude portends a lot of danger for the people especially the youths who have benefitted immensely from the leadership qualities and philanthropy of the Senate President.

In his remarks, Chairman of the People Democratic Party, PDP, in Benue State, Dr. Agbo Emmanuel, urged youths of the area to resist any provocation that would culminate into violence in the zone.

Agbo added, “We must resist all attempts to frustrate the re_election of the Senate President and that is the more reason why all youths in this senatorial district must say a total no to any act of violence as we get closers to the elections; because we may not know who might be the victim of a political crisis”.

In his remarks, the Benue state Governor represented by his Deputy, Chief Steven Lawani implored the people of Benue South Senatorial District to shun those politician whom he said ruled Benue State in the past but left the Idoma nation poorer than they met it.