ENDORSEMENTS FOR SALE: YOUTHS DENOUNCE ELDERS IN AKWA IBOM

Youths in Akwa Ibom State have vowed to revolt against their elders if the latter continues to play pranks with the political future of the state by engaging in mercantile endorsement of political aspirants. They have also warned politicians to stop corrupting the elders, especially, the traditional institution in their desperate attempts to outdo one another in getting the blessings of the elders.

Coming on the platform of Catalysts of Desired Change, the youths in a statement signed by their National Co-ordinator, Mr Akaninyene Bassey and National Publicity Secretary, Rev. Ubong Okokon, said the idea of rushing to the royal fathers' palace to get endorsement and to seek the disqualification of certain persons from participating in partisan politics in a democratic society was a strange political culture in the state.

'Akwa Ibom over the years has always been a republican society; we have never adopted patriarchal, feudal or paternal approach in selecting candidates to contest general elections because ours is a state that everybody is a brother or sister either by breed, creed or marriage.

'Our traditional institution though not on the same pedestal as its counterparts in other parts of the country, has always received its due respect by playing by the rule of their edict.

'But the dangerous trend about to be entrenched in the present struggle, especially, by the senatorial aspirants in Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District where the traditional rulers have been turned into political patrons and determinants of which federal constituency should produce which person or which person should not even try to aspire, is a direct and indirect way of further subjecting the already belittled traditional institution in recent times to more ridicules.

'The incumbent senator for Akwa Ibom North East (Uyo) Senatorial district is not a saint just like most of those that we sent out to represent us; but those clamouring and using all manner of tactics to come in are not the messiahs. They are all trying to go and devour our share of the national cake in a vengeful fashion to satisfy their assumed political deprivation

'The traditional rulers should therefore steer clear of these political brigands to salvage what-ever is left of their pride before they, as big masquerades, are robed in public by the greedy antics of politicians. If they refuse to abide by the rules of their institution, but continue trying to turn themselves into unregistered political parties, then we the youths would no other choice than help to put them on the fast track of auto-cataclysm.