Don’t be used for rigging 2023 polls, El-Rufai tell corps members

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has urged members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who would be participating in the conduct of the 2023 general elections to avoid being used to rig the polls.

El-Rufai made the call at the closing ceremony of the orientation course organised for members of 2022 Batch B (Stream 2) NYSC corps members posted to Kaduna State.

The governor was represented at the occasion by the state’s acting Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, who urged the corps members to be responsible citizens of the country as the future of the country lies in their hands.

The Governor then urged “Nigerian youths to distance themselves from fanning the embers of violence and war in Nigeria. As a country, we must avoid a repeat of that dark part of our history. And Nigerian youths must refuse to be ready tools for war mongers.

“My dear valuable corps members, I believe you have the capacity to defend what is good for our dear country and what shall build a united Nigeria and you shall not fail to do what is right for your dear country. After all, the major objective of establishing the NYSC is to promote Nigeria’s unity and enhance development.

“The national youth service is a reflection of the hope that we have placed on our young graduates as touch bearers of a greater Nigeria. You must proof to is that this is not a misplaced hope. We expect you to be innovative, industrious and consistently demonstrate acts of tolerance, open mindedness and perseverance in all that you do.”

Speaking on the role of the corps members in elections, Governor El-Rufai said, as representatives of the youths who are the majority in Nigeria, the corps members must shun corruption during the polls and be responsible citizens who would be said to have risen to the occasion when they were most needed.

According to him, “I am highly impressed that the youths constitute 71% of the 12 million fresh applicants for Permanent Voter’s Card in the just concluded Continuous Voter Registration exercise. We therefore expect more youths participation i the 2023 general elections and I hope this participation will be positive and constructive, as opposed to previous activities of disruption, violence and ballot box snatching and other illegal activities.

“The February 2023 general elections will be requiring services of the Corps members many of you will be engaged as Presiding Officers at the election. You must remember that, you shall be representing the youths during that assignment.

“Let it not be said of you that, the youths that manned the Poling Units for INEC during the elections were not current or were corrupt and they assisted to mar the popular will of the electorate. You must therefore be responsible citizens who rose to the occasion when they were most needed.”