NOA set for FCT elections on April 9

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has urged the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) residents to come out enmasse to vote into position councilors and chairmen of their choice.

This appeal was made by the FCT Director of NOA, Mr Moses Abah, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to Abah, an election into positions of Councilors and Chairmen for FCT Area Councils, which was postponed, is now scheduled to hold on April 9.

Abah said that NOA had since last week engaged in aggressive sensitisation and mobilisation because the election “is just few days away’’.

“NOA has been doing our normal duty visiting religious houses, the churches and mosques talking to their leaders to pass the message of peaceful election.

“ We educate them on what they need to know, that is having their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and on voting and accreditation which happens simultaneously.

“ These are new things that have come into the electoral process that the people must know,’’ Abah said.

He said that the FCT’s constituency had been broken into two, AMAC/ Bwari and Abuja South.

“NOA has two teams also that are going out and motorising the electorates and giving out ICT materials prepared by Independent National electoral commission (INEC).

“ This sensitisation and mobilisation will continue till Friday, April 8, to ensure that every eligible voter gets to hear what he needs to know and do the needful, especially on Saturday April 9.

The director said that a lot had been done concerning security in FCT during and after elections.

“ In fairness, I think a lot has been done as regards to security for the election not just from NOA but by all stakeholders.

“ We have held Inter Agency Consultative Security Meetings (IACS), once weekly but now twice a week with INEC, POLICE, and all political parties.

“There was a meeting today with the Commissioner of Police and there will be another larger one later today, which will have the presence of the INEC Chairmen.

“ We should know that this is going to be first election in 2016 all others are re-run, so we are not leaving anything to chance. Everything is being done to ensure that people behave well,’’ he said.

Abah urged all residents to compliment the efforts of NOA by ensuring that this election “is peaceful and credible’’.