Traditional rulers urged to shun partisan politics

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

Traditional rulers across the Country have been urged to shun partisan politics. The traditional ruler of Eleme Kingdom, Rivers State, HRH, Dr. Appolus Chu, gave the charge at the sidelines of consultative meeting of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), South-South, South-East Chapters held in Benin City, Capital of Edo State.
The meeting had as its theme: “Ensuring a violent-free 2019 general elections in our zones and kingdoms: the role of traditional rulers”.
Chu also advised Government authorities to provide the enabling environment for the electorate to cast their votes during the elections without fear of molestation.
The royal farther who facilitated the meeting, called on his colleagues to rise to their responsibilities, to ensure violent-free elections in 2019.
“We want traditional rulers to rise up to their responsibilities, because we cannot just let it go the way things are going now. We would not allow things to go out of place before we rise up to We foresee trouble, trouble can breakout out of struggle for power.
“We want our people (fathers) to engage all the stakeholders, call all the political parties to advise them.
“We should not be partisan in politics, we should not support any political party. We should call everybody into palace and advise all political parties that they should go and try their popularity among the electorate, not by violence, not by fighting.
“We can also emphasize to our subjects to comply with government’s rules. INEC has set out rulers, they (politicians) have to respect those rules. Let them go there and cast their votes and not cause trouble.
“Government should also provide the enabling environment where the people will go and cast their votes without being molested, without being harassed, without being chased away.
“We must not allow it to go out of control, we have just one country. If we set it on fire, where then are we going to stay?, he queried.
Goodwill message from the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Adeyeye Eniitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja ll, was delivered by his representatives, HRM, Oba Francis Adefarakanmi Agbede, traditional ruler of Igbara-Oke Kingdom, and HRH (Arc) Aderemi Adedapo.