2015 ELECTION: NOA FLAGS OFF INTENSIVE GRASSROOTS RURAL VOTER EDUCATION CAMPAIGN As Security Agencies Unite To Ensure Hinge-Free Election An intensive grassroots rural voter education campaign geared to achieve a free, fair and credible electoral process in the 2015 general elections has kicked off in Ebonyi State with a call on election key players to ensure that they do nothing but the right thing. The campaign which was in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC Ebonyi State was flagged off at Afikpo North Local Government area and will be replicated in all the nooks and crannies of the state. Speaking to the people, the Director-General of National Orientation Agency, Mr Mike Omeri, revealed that his agency is making efforts to see that Ebonyians move to their respective polling units properly informed come 2015, while ensuring that the key players in the electoral processes- electoral bodies, election candidates and political parties- do nothing but the right things at all times. This, he said he will achievebyceasing every available opportunity to tell Ebonyians all they need to know about the forth coming election. Mr Omeri, who was represented by the State Director, National Orientation Agency, Ebonyi State, Dr Emma Abah, disclosed that the real essence of the campaign was to motivate and mobilize effective participation of the voter in the election, such that would enable them understand and appreciate how individual participation in elections establishes representative government and ensures accountability by those who are elected. He added that the campaign would also build up people’s confidence in the electoral process, enthrone good behaviour of electoral officials and even empower the citizens to know their rights such that they can even recall his or her elected representatives should they fail to represent them effectively. “Through this voter education programme, we are therefore preaching against multiple, fictitious or illegal registrations, with emphasis on the need for orderliness during registration and polling processes. We are alsounderscoring the need for the voter to report incidence of electoral malpractice to the appropriate authority. It is a deliberate and sustained effort to sufficiently sensitize them to rise up in defense of their votes.”MrOmeri further added. While expressing satisfaction with the worthy cooperation existing between NOA and INEC, he therefore called on all CBOs, NGOs, FBOs, organisedLabour unions, clergy, women groups, youth organisations, student union, traditional rulers and the political parties to join NOA in the voter education campaign. In his paper- Preparing For A Successful General Election In 2015: All Hands Must Be On Deck- the Resident Electoral Commissioner INEC Ebonyi State, Mr Sylvester Ezeani, said that his commission has always made efforts to see that every new election improves on the old one. He expressed optimism that the improvement on the standard of elections in the country and the determination not to compromise on the integrity of the elections has been yielding fruits as Nigerians can testify in the quality of elections that have been conducted across the country in recent times. He recounted some efforts of his commissions saying, “Election is not a one day affair. Preparation for 2015 elections has been going on for a long time. The distribution of Permanent Voter’s Card (PVCs), the Continuous Voter’s Registration (CVR), the stakeholders forum and various other voter education and enlightenment programmes that have been carried out by INEC and such agencies as NOA, the media and government, all form part of the ground work for a successful 2015 elections.” He commended Ebonyians for participating actively in these programme and advised the youths, who constitute the critical segment of the electorate, to resist any attempt by evil politicians or group to drag them into thuggery or other acts that breach electoral process, insisting that such youth, if caught, must be brought to face the law, no matter whose toe is matched. In their goodwill messages, the officials of some security agencies present at the occasion- Nigeria Police Force (ACP Asafa R Adekunle),State Security Service, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (Jude I. Nwafor) and Federal Road Safety Command (ARC U. G. Okoroafor) –pledged to work assiduously before, during and after the election to ensure that the voters are safe and the election process credible. The Chairman of Afikpo North LGA, Phar Tony Ekoh Jnr, who was represented by his vice, Mrs Dame Precilia Aloh Egwu, appreciated NOA for the programme saying that efforts to get the people participate in the forthcoming election is quite commendable since elections are for every Nigerian and not just for politician as people had erroneously thought. He promised that he will work with his arsenals in Afikpo North LGA to deploy all available machinery to ensure that his people participate not just actively but credibly in the election. Earlier, the chairman of the occasion, Ezeogo Ewa Elechi commended the timeliness of the programme, especially in Afikpo zone and called on the people to have faith in the government. The Zonal Assistant Director in-charge of Ebonyi South, Mrs Celina Ukpai, represented by Mr Victor Okike welcomed the people to the occasion. Some of the participants- Eze Borniface Okoh and Eugene Ugwu- appreciated NOA and INEC for the information and promised to share same with their neighbours.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 15:28:19 +0000
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