By Chioma Onuegbu

Uyo—THE lawmaker representing Okobo constituency in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and Chairman, House Committee on Youths, Sports and Security, Mr Efiffiong Antigha, has warned all Akwa Ibom electorate, especially the youths, to refrain from political thuggery and other forms of election malpractices capable of destroying their lives and future.

Antigha spoke, yesterday, in Uyo during a voter education workshop organised by Women United for Economic Empowerment, WUEE, in partnership with Actionaid Nigeria, while reacting to logistic issues that hinder peaceful and credible elections raised by the representatives drawn from 18 select wards of Uruan, Abak, Nsit Ubium, Ikono, Okobo, and Ikot Abasi Local Government Areas, such as snatching of ballot boxes, multiple voting, and non- performance of elected leaders.

The lawmaker decried a situation where the citizenry themselves promote corruption and malpractices in the electoral system by demanding money and other incentives for their votes. He stressed that no amount of money or inducement one receives either as a political thug or for votes was worth the punishment and denial they would suffer when caught.

“In elections, there are always myriads of problems, ranging from imposition of wrong candidates to thuggery. I know of a boy who voted when he was not up to 18 and involved in multiple voting and was caught, tried and sentenced,” he said.