Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers (DSCTR) has called on politicians to play by the rule and guard against acts inimical to smooth conduct of the 2023 general elections.
Monarchs in the state made the call in a five-point communiqué issued at the end of their meeting in Asaba.
The Chairman of the Council and Orodje of Okpe, Maj.-General Felix Mujakpuero (rtd), Orhue 1, represented by the First Vice Chairman and Pere of Akugbene Mien, SP Luke Kalanama V111, challenged critical stakeholders in the electoral process, including INEC, security agents, civil society groups and the electorate to be diligent in their duties and abide by the INEC guidelines and Electoral Act to ensure free, fair, transparent, credible and acceptable polls.
Reflecting on the state of affairs, the monarchs cautioned the political class against violence and resort to self-help to actualise their political ambition, insisting that they should carry out their political engagements within the confines of decency and decorum.
They enjoined them to honour the peace accord they voluntarily entered into ahead of the contest, saying that their supporters should shun inflammatory utterances capable of heating up the polity.
The monarchs congratulated the state Governor and Vice Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ifeanyi Okowa, on successful hosting of the 21st edition of National Sports Festival, tagged Delta 2022.
They also expressed appreciation to the wife of the governor, Dame Edith Okowa, for hosting wives of the monarchs to a Christmas party and prayed for God’s continued protection and guidance for the first family. On perennial flooding, the royal fathers urged Federal Government to take bold and decisive measures to stem the menace even as they commended members of the council for deploying their resources to mitigate the effects of the disaster on victims.
The meeting was attended by the Second Vice Chairman of the Council and Obi of Ubulu Unor, Agbogidi Henry Kikachukwu 1, and the immediate past Chairman of the Council and Obi of Owa, Dr. Emmanuel Efeizomor, among other traditional rulers from the three senatorial districts of the state.
