Residents of Imo State have been admonished to eschew bitterness as they come out en masse on Saturday,November 11, to cast their votes during the gubernatorial election.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Imo Orientation Agency,Chief Dr. Fidel Onyeneke, made the appeal in Owerri while addressing newsmen.
Chief Onyeneke said that it was the civic responsibility of the electorate to ensure that they cast their votes and also conduct themselves in an acceptable manner.
He stressed that the election was not a do-or-die affair,even as he urged all and sundry to shun rancor and violence.
Chief Onyeneke emphasized that peace was paramount in society, especially as Imolites remained members of one family.
The Special Adviser urged the masses to avoid making unguarded utterances as they cast their votes in order not to provoke issues that may lead to violence and the breakdown of the law.
Chief Onyeneke also advised parents, community leaders, and traditional rulers to address the people on the best ways to conduct themselves as they go to the polls.
Chief Onyeneke further appealed to all those who would carry out election duties, including INEC personnel, election observers,Security security agencies, and the media,to apply the stipulated professional standards so as to avoid anything that would spark off disorder.
The Special Adviser reminded Imolites that the unity and progress of the state were paramount to the other personal and mundane interests of certain individuals and groups who deliberately heated up the polity.
Chief Onyeneke commended Governor Hope Uzodinma for providing the enabling environment for the smooth conduct of a free and fair election in the state on Saturday.