An All Progressives Congress (APC) support group, Tinubu Nigeria Fronts (TNF) has advised supporters and foot solders of political parties and their candidates to diligently drive home their campaign messages without sentiments.
Dr Emmanuel Ojo, TNF Director- General, made the call in an interview with our correspondent on Tuesday in Abuja.
” This is critical to addressing issues of thuggery and political violence in the country’s electoral process.
” Heightened political activities usually comes with diverse anxieties and excitement at the peak of political dynamics, especially when thoughts are set at variance from solace of goodwill to emotional imbalances.
”This, is relative to individual knowledge, class and experiences which if not properly managed, could spark up misunderstanding.
‘This action is seldom calculated, aimed and targeted at the unsuspecting political opponents, especially those considering politics of bitterness a choice,”
He said.
Ojo said political understanding comes with heights of knowledge from experiences that was synonymous with clear leaders.
He said sending political foot soldiers to the fields without adequate orientation on how to relate with others could be detrimental to the political system.
This, he said, was especially because electioneering process was oftentimes marred with heat of violence and infringement of fundamental human rights, leading to argument and violation of serenity.
“Competing for a position, where winner goes with gold and loser lost to time and materials deployed, may grieve.
“But losing to the wise, means going back to the drawing board and returning with algorithm of success for other time to sail to the highway of success.
“A calm loser that controls his supporters and foot soldiers from coursing violence scores indelible marks of excellence of a true sportsman,”
Ojo said.
He added that such a leader should be assured that retribution would pronounce his name on the open places for clear trusts as he moved to secure glory lost to time of past adventure.
While attributing electoral lose to poor preparations sometimes, Ojo said nothing lasts forever, adding that everything, however bad, had another role to play in timeline.
He assured that the solutions to thuggery and political violence in the country were not far reaching.
“For every lane of problems, there are corresponding order of solutions, the first to note and observe is that,in political spheres, there are no parmanent friends and likewise enemies.
“Political thuggery and violence are very real and spreads its litmus of red fang at the fall of election period towards the casting of votes with increased bitterness,”
He said.
He added that the manance could however be stemmed or eradicated if supporters and foot solders of politicians stopped seeing politics as a do or die affairs.
Ojo said this was especially in recognition of the fact that political leaders, although their followers often engaged in free for all arguments and fight, met oftentimes with hugs and warm embrace in public functions.
“They demonstrate leadership with quality maturity from pool of patience and garnered experiences whenever in public,”
He said.
He stressed that this should send a message to their supporters and foot solders who mustered arms and carried weapons to course violence at the slightest provocation to have a rethink.
He, therefore, advised that adequate knowledge of every assignment to perform should be obtained while bitterness of all forms should be shuned.
Ojo while advising political party’s supporters to be their brother’s keeper, said another way of curbing political violence and thuggery, was to engage in issues related discuss to suppress the growing fang of hot argument.
He said this was another antidote to stem the evil of lunching avoidable elements of violence at others when voices were raised without facts.
“Provocation, if inevitable, could be ignored with absolute silence and quick steps to leave the scenes of storm, who prevails is quite unnecessary.
“Wheresoever you enjoy teaching of the principles and ideologies of your masters, be diligent in driving home your points and make sure you add no unnecessary sentiment.
“But rather, compose with exposition and calmly dwell on the facts of defence, not the usual empty verbal assaults throwing jabs to create infractions.
“With your carefully calculated condensed points, carrying the clear posts, pretty craftily presented to your audience or opponents, you may rather gain the desired listening attention,”
Ojo advised