2023 ELECTIONS
Makurdi Residents Condemn Social Media Confrontational Campaigns
Jimmie Adzande
The need for social media supporters of different political parties and candidates to restrict themselves to issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2023 election has again been emphasized.
This comes as politicians brace up for the official commencement of campaigns in September.
In Makurdi, the Benue State Capital, residents including Barrister George Tseen have raised concerns over political bickering and smear campaigns by Social media handlers.
The legal practitioner called on politicians to guide their supporters through issue based campaigns.
Some including Terkimbi Adoka, leccturer with the Benue State University said there are quite a number of problems to be addressed in the country, rather than acrimonious politics.
While insisting that Nigeria’s democracy has come of age for politicians to adopt best practices as obtainable in mature democracies, he wants supporters to focus on issues clogging the wheel of progress in the nation, instead of acrimonious politicking.
A lawyer, Gabriel Ako wants the electorates to demand accountability from elected leaders. He added that by so doing, issues hindering the nation’s growth would be addressed, especially if such demands are championed by the youths.
Attacks on individual candidates rather than issues have dominated the Social media space, with supporters of candidates overheating the polity, even with the ban on campaign by political parties yet to be lifted.
