A civil society organisation, Peering Advocacy And Development Centre in Africa, PAACA, has advocated for a collaboration among the many main stakeholders and electoral actors to make sure a holistic electoral reform.
This was made recognized by PAACA Government Director, Mr. Ezenwa Nwagwu throughout a city corridor assembly tagged “Citizen’s City Corridor Assembly on Electoral Reform” held in Enugu, weekend.
He stated the assembly was convened to be able to espouse the authorized framework of the Electoral Act, 2021, which many individuals shouldn’t have information of.
Nwagwu stated, “The important goal of this city corridor assembly is to popularise the authorized framework of our elections.
“What we found is that most individuals in Nigeria wallow in ignorance as regards the authorized framework that guides our electoral processes, particularly while you comply with public commentaries whether or not on tv and radio.
“So we thought it clever that we unpack the Electoral Act, we unpack the rules and even unpack among the stories that INEC has issued. We began that tour in Cross River State and we’re right here in Enugu now.”
Whereas reacting to questions posed by journalists with respect to the 2023 common elections, Nwagwu stated “The language of the politicians has been tailor-made in direction of inflicting points and distorting the peaceable conduct of elections.
“Politicians all the time search for doubtful benefits. So what they are saying or don’t say is not going to matter in committing the individuals to understanding the authorized framework and the problems round it which have an effect on our electoral processes.
“Violence is just not a language spoken in any civil society the place democracy has been entrenched.
“And the language of violence is spoken by simply the politicians and might’t be heard greater than thousands and thousands of Nigerians who want good governance, who want free, truthful, credible and accessible elections.
“The feedback made by the politicians are additionally being dropped at limelight by even the media with out a recourse to among the incremental progress made throughout the 2023 common elections the place sitting governors who wished to go to the senate had been defeated of their states.
“Shedding elections on this regard tells you that progress made when it comes to using expertise for example, using BVAS, made it very not possible for large figures to be thrown in, and governors who wished to go to the senate misplaced their elections and also you didn’t suppose that that was an incremental progress?”
On what he thinks concerning the common saying amongst Nigerians that the judiciary was a celebration to among the points surrounding the retarded political reforms in Nigeria, Nwagwu stated “the judiciary is an establishment that works with proof and never feelings and enters into judgement and rulings primarily based on the proof adduced by events in a go well with.
“The court docket is there. The court docket doesn’t run on feelings. The court docket runs on jurisprudence and technicalities.
“So, in case you go to court docket and suppose that technicality is just not a part of the legislation, then you aren’t ready. What it means is that you simply go to court docket and the court docket doesn’t come to you.
“If you happen to win an election, you go to court docket to defend it and when you’re on the shedding finish, you go to court docket to problem the result of the election.”
Additionally talking on the occasion, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in control of Enugu State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Joseph Chukwu who was represented by Mr. Achukue Chuka, the Head, Division of Voter Schooling, reiterated the fee’s readiness to conduct free, truthful and clear elections in Nigeria.
He stated, “As we embark on this journey of democratic consolidation, the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) reaffirms its dedication to electoral reform in Nigeria.
“We acknowledge {that a} credible and clear election is the inspiration of democracy.
“Electoral reform is a collective duty and we enjoin all stakeholders to hitch palms with us on this journey.
“Our purpose is to make sure that each purpose counts and each voice is heard.”
In his remarks, the Performing State Director of the Nationwide Orientation Company (NOA) in Enugu State, Mr. Chidi Unobagha stated NOA had collaborated with PAACA within the areas of public enlightenment, orientation and mass mobilisation over time.
The city corridor assembly was attended by main stakeholders, together with the Inter Social gathering Advisory Council (IPAC), the Christian Affiliation of Nigerian (CAN), Civil Society Organizations, in addition to conventional rulers from totally different communities in Enugu State.
