Imo guber: INEC partners, trains Forty CSOs on voter education

… reiterates commitment to conduct credible poll

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has solicited support of Civil Society Organizations, CSOs in the state to assist in enlightening the citizens on the essence of participating actively in the forthcoming November 11th governorship election in the state.

The call was made by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Prof. Sylvia Agu at the one-day capacity building workshop organised by the Commission for the CSO groups in preparation for the coming election.

Prof. Agu reiterated the Commission’s commitment and readiness to ensure that the election was free, fair and credible, insisted that INEC needs collective support of all stakeholders to achieve good results.

She said, “we honestly recognise the fact that we cannot do it alone, hence, this engagement is to empower you to move to focal local governments for voter education and sensitisation.

“We are hopeful to see increased voter turnout during the election as the electorate would appreciate better the election day activity, need for reduced invalid votes and electoral violence as well as respect the sanctity of human life.

“I also expect you to factor in the ugly consequences of vote buying while interfacing with the citizens, to deliver them from the hands of political jobbers whose style is to manipulate them into unhealthy games and personal gains.

“The electorates must rise up to the task of protecting their ballots by collaborating with the security agents and the election officials at the polling unit level to deliver a free, fair, credible, transparent and safe election.”

The Guardian gathered that about forty Civil Society Organizations that are voter education providers were further engaged and trained by the Commission to organise sensitisation programmes and seminars across the council areas of the state in order to enhance credibility of the coming election.
Some of the CSO groups included National Council for Women Societies, NCWS; Community and Youth Development Initiative, CYDI; Women for Positive Peace Building Initiative, WOPPI; and DICCAN Empowerment Foundation.
Others are Northern Patriotic Front; Peace and Civil Obligation Development Initiative; Kamara Initiative for Civic Education; Data Desk for Social Development; Alliance for Africa, AfA, among others.