Rev. Samuel Goro, CEPAN Executive Director, in a speech at the summit, said that it was organised to create a platform for youths to share ideas towards supporting peaceful elections in the country.

“The participants in this event include women and youth leaders; we made them a target because they are either the tools used to perpetrate violence, or the victims of such misdeed.

“The recently conducted political party primaries witnessed lots of violence. It pitted youth groups against each other. We cannot continue like that,” he said.

He regretted that many youths were selling their right to a good future for money, food, clothing and other transient benefits.

“It is sad that election period in Nigeria is harvest times for the hungry with politicians tempting them with branded bags of rice, live chickens and many other gifts.

“As youths, you must resist such temptations. We must reject anyone seeking to use us to spew rumours, hate speech and fake news that could lead to violence,” he said.

Goro called on stakeholders to ensure that the electoral processes were not flawed and compromised, and particularly urged security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to be fair and transparent.

Mrs. Chinyere Okoye, Desk Officer, Gender and Civil Society Organization of INEC in Plateau, regretted that many Permanent Voters Cards had yet to be collected, and urged the youths to exercise their franchise by collecting and using the PVCs.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), after the event, Mr Sadiq Sabo and Miss Florence Longs, leaders of party youth groups, promised to step down the messages to their various communities.

The duo urged the youths to resist the temptation to sell their rights to greedy politicians, and also counseled them to be law abiding throughout the election period.

NAN reports that more than 150 youths from Jos North and South Local Government Areas attended the summit that had the theme:“ Youth Participation in Political processes”.