NGO conduct Pre – Election Assessment Research across 27 LGAS in Imo state, Name areas election may not hold
Barely few hours to 2023 general election, a non governmental organization know as Better Community Life Initiative (BECOLIN) has conducted an election assessment research across the 27 LGAS in Imo state.
Speaking on behalf of the group Comrade Chibundu Uchegbu who is the Program Director Better Community Life Initiative (BECOLIN), said in less than few hours to go into the much awaited and highlighted 2023 presidential/National Assembly election, they deemed it necessary to address this Press Conference with Pre-Election Environment Assessment (PEEA) in the state, and perhaps, in the country in focus.
According to him, it was an in-depth and holistic assessment of the political and electoral landscape, ranging from the change in landscape dynamics, preparation of relevant stakeholders and factors that could give rise to electoral violence and, on the other hand, factors that could promote credible and peaceful elections.
The indicators assessed in the period include:
Election statistics
Peculiarities of 2023 elections
Political party preparation
Security of state in the Pre-Election Assessment
Election Management Body’s preparation
Election scenario
He went further to state that, the Pre-Election Environment Assessment (PEEA) is predicated on the commitment of our partners – National Endowment for Democracy (NED), International Republican Institute (IRI) and Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI)’s long-term electoral violence monitoring and mitigation efforts aimed at establishing an effective early warning system that can identify factors and actors that can potent risks to the peaceful conduct and administration of Saturday’s polls.
The group went Further to reveal that Late last year (2022), they deployed their trained monitors in the 6 states – Imo, Taraba, Delta, Osun, Plateau and Kaduna – 2 monitors in each of the LGAs – to send verifiable reports on the occurrences, both electoral and non electoral, within their jurisdiction. These reports are done on weekly basis.
On voter education, 94% of monitors indicated that they had heard of voter education related to electoral offences. 85% of monitors said that vote buying and peace messaging dominated the civic education messages in their respective areas.
And 85% of the monitors’ report showed that INEC is the leading stakeholders that are amplifying these voter and civic education messages.
On political party activities and campaigns, while 65% of monitors indicated the presence of political activities in the state from December till date, 95% reported that road shows, town halls, rallies, and social media are methods used by political parties to carry out their activities and campaigns. Furthermore, in some quarters, especially in structured debates by notable media houses and organizations, candidates have been discussing issues and their plans to serve the nation. However, conversations of their supporters have been more of personality disparagement, intolerance and hate speeches.
Concluding commended the electoral body for the series of technological innovations introduced in pursuit of election that serves the conscience of the people and meets the global standards. Some of the technological devises are –
Biamodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS)
INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED)
INEC Results Viewing Portal (IRev)
All these reforms are necessary, and are intended to deepen transparency in the electoral process in the country. Adding to the devices, additional 56,632 polling units were created making the total number of polling units in the country 176,606 from 119,973 we had in previous round of elections.
With confidence built coupled with the increasing number of registered voters and PVCs collected across the country, Nigeria and Nigerians are now set to go to polls to elect their leaders in democratic contest.
To further increase the transparency of the election and mitigate the appetite of those planning to disorganize the process, we welcome the Visa ban threat United States and some European countries have issued on those who would foment troubles and tear down democratic institutions and processes.. We support this action and encourage them to ensure that the threat is enforced to the fullest no matter who is involved.
Political parties in the state must ensure that they give life and practical impetus to the Peace Accord they signed on 16th of February, 2023 in Owerri. Furthermore, they should advise their candidates and supporters against making inciting statements capable to jeopardize the outcome of the election. Police and other security agencies should prioritise enforcement in LGAs identified as flash-points.
Lastly, they hope to see the manifestation of 3 maximums in this election:
Maximum participation of eligible voters in the polls – the youths, the elderly, the disabled, the women and people from all backgrounds provided they all have PVCs.
Maximum cooperation with the electoral body, the security agencies and other stakeholders saddled with the responsibility of making the exercise credible.
Maximum integrity from the INEC staff including the ad-hoc staff, the police, the army, the civil defense and other para-military organization engaged in the system to ensure that efficiency and accessibility of the process is not compromised.
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