Tonade Amos, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in the Isolo area of Lagos State, has urged security agencies to strengthen security at campaign grounds to prevent violence.

Mr Amos made the call in an interview with journalists in Lagos on Sunday.

He said there was a need for adequate security arrangements to ensure political activities were conducted in a peaceful manner.

“There must be no bloodshed during or after the campaign period, and security agencies should remain vigilant to prevent any breakdown of law and order,“ he said.

The APC chieftain appealed to political parties and their supporters to shun violence, destruction of property and other acts capable of disrupting the peace of communities.

“There should be no violence or destruction of houses, government property or other valuable assets because political campaigns should not become a source of conflict,“ he said.

Amos urged political actors and their supporters to respect campaign materials belonging to opponents, particularly billboards and posters displayed in public spaces.

“Campaign billboards should not be destroyed because every political party and candidate has the right to present their programmes and messages to the electorate,“ he said.

The party leader advised politicians against recruiting or encouraging youths to engage in thuggery, intimidation or other unlawful activities during political campaigns.

“Youths should not be used as political thugs because they are important stakeholders whose energy and talents should be directed toward positive activities,” he said.

Mr Amos called on political parties to educate their supporters, particularly young people, on responsible campaign practices and the need to maintain peace throughout the electoral process.

“Political parties have a responsibility to enlighten and educate their youths on decent campaigns, peaceful conduct and respect for the rights of other political actors,“ he said.

The APC chieftain urged candidates and their supporters to focus on issues and programmes that could help voters make informed choices rather than resorting to personal attacks and provocative activities.

“Campaigns should be conducted peacefully and responsibly, with candidates presenting their ideas to the people instead of encouraging actions that could create tension,“ he said.

Mr Amos appealed to residents to cooperate with security agencies by providing relevant information that could assist in preventing threats to peace and public safety.

“Residents have a role to play by remaining peaceful, avoiding provocation and giving useful information to the appropriate security authorities when necessary,“ he said.

He reiterated that peaceful political campaigns would enable citizens to participate freely in the electoral process without fear, intimidation or unnecessary tension.

“Our collective responsibility is to ensure that political activities remain peaceful before, during and after the campaign period,“ he said. 

(NAN)