Election: Enugu Traditional Ruler Advises Community Members To Shun Violence

ENUGU – Igwe Samuel Asadu, the Traditional Ruler of Edem-Ani community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State has advised members of the community to shun violence, electoral malpractice and thuggery before, during and after March 18 general election.the

Asadu gave the advice in Nsukka on Friday while addressing newsmen in his palace shortly after an interactive forum with political stakeholders in the community.

The traditional ruler said that, he would not condone any form of political violence, thuggery, or electoral malpractice that would mar the smooth process of March 18, governorship and state assembly poll.

“Ensure that you participate and vote candidate of you choice during the forthcoming poll, obey all the electoral rules and regulations by conducting yourself peacefully

“Edem-Ani community is known as a peaceful community and I will not tolerate any form of violence, thuggery, or any act that will breach public peace.

”I want the community to maintain an atmosphere of peace so that people can come out freely to vote for the candidate of their choice.

“I am very happy with positive response from political stakeholders that March 18 will also be smooth and violence-free, like February 25 presidential and national assembly election,” he said.

Asdau noted the presidential poll had generated both positive and negative reactions which have somehow heated the polity.

“Yes, people have their right to choose which political party to belong to and candidate to support and vote for, but at the same time, they need to be reminded that politics is not a do-or-die affair.

“We should not set our community on fire, or attack one another because of our political differences, no, we should not allow politics to divide us as a community, rather we should be united to develop our community,” he said.

The American trained nurse, thanked the stakeholders as well as all Edem-Ani community members for their always maximum support to him and urged them to keep it up.

Later in an interview with our correspondent, Chief John Okanyi, the Chief of Staff to Asadu, described the traditional ruler as one who is passionate about peace, unity, and progress of Edem-Ani community.

“our tractional ruler is always proactive to matters of community interest, today his massage to the community is clear to everyone and well received.

“Edem-Ani is lucky to have Asadu as a traditional ruler because he is an honest and peace-loving man.

“The traditional ruler is not interested in the political party we belong to or the candidate we are going to vote for, his only concern is to ensure peaceful polls in the community.”

Ii could be recalled that Asadu built and equipped a multimillion Cottage Hospital in the community which people access free of charge.

The US-trained nurse also build a Food Bank in his compound where over 200 indigent members of the community eat free of charge on daily basis.

Asadu also lighted up the community with street solar light panels as well as pays the community public electricity bills.