Veteran Nigerian Music star, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, has called on youths to be peaceful, civil and to shun violence ahead of Nov. 16, governorship election in Kogi State.
Idibia made this call at a Peace Concert tagged: “Vote Not Fight, Election No Be War”, organised by participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development (PIBCID) in collaboration with National Democratic Institute (NDI) on Tuesday in Lokoja.
The concert which drew over 5,000 youths across the 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state as well as tertiary institutions, was supported by UKaid, USAID and 2Baba Foundation.
Nine artistes comprising seven musicians and two comedians performed alongside 2Face at the concert.
The popular musician asserted that the process of elections should be “peaceful and civil”, stressing that his organisation, 2baba Foundation, has mobilised over 62 million people in the country to drive the campaign for peace.
Idibia had earlier paid a courtesy visit to Chief of Staff and running mate of Gov. Yahaya Bello, Chief Edward Onoja and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretariat in Lokoja.
Reacting to a complaint by the State INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. James Akpan, Idibia urged the youths to embrace peace while calling on security agencies and the electoral umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be neutral in the discharge of their duties.
Prof. James had earlier disclosed that the State had witnessed various forms of electoral violence in past elections and there was need to change the situation.
Executive Director, PIBCID, Ms Halima Sadiq, stated that the concert was organised to promote peaceful and non-violent election, stressing that the youths had latent energy and ability that could be channelled towards productive engagements for attainment of peace.
Acting Country Director, NDI, Dr Raymond Esebagbon and the Executive Director, Challenged Parenthood Initiative (CPI), Eunice Agbogun, also charged the youths on peaceful voting.
By: Olusola Oluwatobi