The residents in Anambra State Southeast, Nigeria, will today, Saturday September 28, 2024, go t0 polls to elect Chairmen and Councillors for the State’s Local Government Area Councils.
This is even as ANSIEC accredited Election Observers have urged eligible voters to come out en-mass to cast their vote. With the promise that the poll would be credible and free of violence.
This was contained in a statement by the group Coordinator, Prince Chris Azor. He also assured that observers would in collaboration with the security checkmate proliferation of small arms and light weapons prior, during and after the exercise.
Azor listed some of the strategies adopted by the Human Rights advocate to ensure credible and violence free exercise. These included the strategies as pre-election environment monitoring, paying attention to potential hotspots and areas prone to violence. Also listed are Voter Education and Awareness on the dangers of small arms proliferation and the importance of peaceful elections. He also stated the group had educated the electorates through community outreach programs and public awareness campaigns.
To achieve their goal, the coordinator stated that these strategies would be implemented in collaboration with Security agencies. This, he said is to ensure that voting centers are secure and free from arms. They will also embark on incident reporting and documentation during the election.
According to Azor, there would be intentional and deliberate Post-Election Monitoring of the environment. This is to prevent potential violence and ensure a peaceful transition, through observation of voting centers and hotspots.
Comrade Azor emphasis that the mechanisms have become imperative considering the present worrisome security challenges in the State and indeed the Southeast Region.
He said, “Proliferation of small arms has contributed to electoral violence, banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping and sundry criminality.”
The coordinator, however, stated that it had mobilize over one hundred Observers across the State. And also set up a Situation Room Coordination Centre in Awka, capital City for real time collaboration. They group will also engage in timely reportage of activities during the exercise, for desired result.
“We hereby, urge Political Parties and candidates to commit to Promotion of peaceful conduct, Stakeholder engagement and non violence”
“Security agencies should maintain neutrality, fairness and impartiality, while preserving human rights and rule of law” Azor continued.
He, therefore, enjoined accredited election Observers to conform to the code of conduct and eschew all forms of interference with the electoral process.
“Eligible voters should exercise their franchise peacefully without any let or hindrance”
“We hereby, urge Political Parties and candidates to commit to Promotion of peaceful conduct, Stakeholder engagement and non violence,”
Security agencies should maintain neutrality, fairness and impartiality while preserving human rights and rule of law” he concluded.
The group commended the Election Management Body, Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) for demonstrating full preparedness and commitment to integrity of the entire exercise.
It, therefore, urged Political Parties and candidates to commit to Promotion of peaceful conduct, Stakeholder engagement and non violence.
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