Elections: LASPOTECH students embark on voter education

Students of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu, Lagos, on Friday temporarily suspended academic activities to educate members of their community on the need for a violence-free voting exercise.

Our correspondent reports that the campaign was part of the annual ‘Costume Day’ organised by students of the Mass Communication Department of the institution.

During the exercise, students were clad in various professional, traditional and religious costumes, singing and dancing to various rhythms.

They also displayed placards bearing various inscriptions such as, “Your vote is your voice”, “Defend your vote”, “Stop the violence”, among others.

According to Mr Steve Anu’Adesemoye, Film Production Lecturer, Costume Day is a yearly exercise designed to make the course interesting and to address societal ills.

“We equally ensure that each costume day is anchored on a theme that is beneficial to the larger society.

“This is our little way of contributing to the betterment of our great nation.

“We strongly believe that a well informed citizen becomes an active citizen, and an active citizen, in turn, builds a better society from an informed heart,” he told our correspondent.

He, however, added that the goal was to collaborate with other tertiary institutions to serve as the harbinger of innovative policies and research hubs capable of transforming Nigeria into a developed country.

Students of Lagos State Polytechnic campaign against election violence on Friday in Ikorodu.

Mr Oyediran Oyeronke, Chairman, Costume Day Organising Committee, said: “This year, we decided to take it up a notch by using it as a medium to remind the people that their votes are their voices and their rights.

“Also, that they can exercise that right without violence and war.

“In addition, we also used it as an avenue to campaign against trading of votes.”