It is time for youths to stop being foot soldiers to unscrupulous elements bent on fomenting trouble in the society and take responsibility for their affairs as well as in the larger society, Leader of the 9th Bonny Legislative Assembly, Larry Ibaningo has said.

Ibaningo said this when the Electoral Committee of the Jumbo Major House Youth Association (JMHYA) led by its Chairman, Eric Jumbo, paid him a courtesy call in Legislative Assembly Complex in Bonny, Rivers State.

He stressed that if youths can leave issues of leadership of their various chieftaincy houses to the elders and chart a path to peace and unity, they will grow, progress and become independent, saying that youths cannot remain foot soldiers forever.

He commended the JMHYA Electoral Committee for engaging in consultations with key and critical stakeholders within and outside the Jumbo Major House, noting that given the size, history and place of the chieftaincy house in the ecology, a youth election therein is potentially impactful to the whole of Bonny.

He further applauded the Eric Jumbo and other youth leaders in Jumbo Major House for collapsing their interest in their quest to finding lasting peace in their chieftaincy house, noting that finding solutions to issues affecting the youths is more paramount than any other interest.

The lawmaker congratulated the Electoral Committee for their appointment, urging them to give a level playing ground to all aspirants, promising to send observers from his office in to witness the election.

Earlier, the Chairman of the JMHYA Electoral Committee, Eric Jumbo had given thumbs up to the Leader and his colleagues for their steadfastness in working closely with the Chairman of Bonny LGA, pointing out that this synergy has resulted to projects execution all over Bonny Island.

Jumbo, who was accompanied by the Secretary and Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Electoral Committee, Nengi and Adonye Jumbo, respectively, informed his host that they were in his office as a critical stakeholder to brief him on the planned election of the JMHYA.

He assured the lawmaker and his colleagues that the Electoral Committee will conduct a free, fair and credible election wherein all aspirants will be given equal opportunity to participate.