The Youth Initiative for Social Change (YISC) has called for a thorough investigation to unravel the people behind the burning of two buses belonging to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with posters of its presidential candidate, Goodluck Jonathan.The incident took place along Bauchi road in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State on Saturday January 10, 2015, barely 48 hours to the inauguration of the PDP governorship campaign in Mangu Local Government Area. Some youths attacked the buses, along with another vehicle with PDP logo and its presidential candidate picture.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the YISC said the incident seems to be a rehearsal for more violence, which the opposition has continued to instigate to make a mockery of efforts of the present administration to ensure the elections are violence-free.
National Coordinator of YISC, Adetola Omu said: “We are disturbed by this development which we strongly believe is sponsored by groups that have consistently fomented trouble so as to derail the upcoming elections and discrediting this administration. All lovers of peace should condemn it.”
Omu cautioned politicians from brainwashing the youths to incite violence for their selfish ill-motives, even as he added that, “this shameful act is a script that was well hatched and is being played out with the aim of re-enacting the kinds of violence we saw in 2011 that led to mindless killings across the country. The police should not allow this to pass”
The YISC national coordinator said that Nigeria is bigger than the aspiration of any group and that in the light of this; it urges the youths to eschew violence and not allow themselves to be used by the same politicians who will not allow their children to engage in such acts.
“While we urge the present administration to remain focused on ensuring hitch-free and violence-free elections, it must also ensure that perpetrators of violence and their sponsors are fished out and made to face the law”, Omu insisted.
