By Thompson ABISOLA
Chief Owolabi Salis, the Alliance for Democracy (AD) Lagos State governorship candidate, has advised the youths to resist being used as political thugs as the country prepared for the 2019 general elections.
Salis addressing a news conference on Sunday, decried the increase in youth restiveness in Lagos and the country in general.
“There is nothing wrong in forming various youth groups but it should always be positive in their competition to outsmart each other and not to kill.
“Some politicians have taken advantage of various youth groups by arming them and using them as thugs,” Salis said.
He described that as unfair and a form of “systemic slavery”, whereby the youth did not realise their true potential.
The two persons, who the police described as notorious cult gang members, were shot dead at the venue of a political meeting on Wednesday at Shomolu area of Lagos state.
Also, 21 others who participated in the bloody clash have since been arrested.
Salis said that youths should rather be engaged positively by educating and providing jobs for them, to advance their social and economic lives.
He urged government at all levels to look into various ways for possible solutions to the menace among youths.
He said that they should embark on massive sensitisation and reorientation of the youth, acquainting them with their rights and responsibilities as citizens of the country.
The governorship candidate also said that government should continue to show serious commitment to the eradication of corruption by ensuring speedy trial and punishment of corrupt persons to serve as deterrent.
“The menace is a big blow to the economy and I feel bad with what is going on in the state and the country right now,” he said.
Earlier, the AD Chairman, Mr Kola Ajayi, urged youths to have a rethink and a change in orientation.
“There is no point going violent because you are given stipends to mortgage your future for four years,” Ajayi said.
Also, the President, Lagos Youth Vanguard, Mr Seyi Oyewole, advised that youths should rather tell politicians to plan their future than engage them negatively.
