Imo Guber: NOA flags off sensitization campaign in Owerri, cautions against voter apathy in the state 

     BY JOSHUA CHIBUZO / OWERRI

National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Wednesday flagged off its sensitization/enlightenment campaign in Owerri, Imo State on the need for electorate to participate fully in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state scheduled for November 11, this year.

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Director General of NOA, Dr. Garba Abari, said, “Out of the total of 93.47 million registered voters, only 24.9 million persons actually voted in the Presidential and National Assembly Elections.

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Dr. Garba Abari, represented by Mr Emeka Ebuga, explained that the sensitization programme was in preparation for the November governorship election in the state, cautioning against voter apathy.

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His words:

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“It is my pleasure to welcome all of you to today’s gathering which marks the beginning of the National Orientation Agency’s (NOA) sensitization programme in preparation for the coming governorship election in Imo  State. As you are all aware, Imo State is one of the eight states where governorship elections were not held during the last General Election.

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“As we gather experiences on our democratic journey, other variables, especially the judiciary, will continue to determine when the tenure of Chief Executives in states commences and ends. Imo shares that fate with Kogi and Bayelsa states this year.

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“We are concerned about the relatively poor turn out of voters despite the seeming enthusiasm shown by Nigerians towards the 2023 General Elections. Though INEC has not formally released its analysis of voter turnout in the elections, however, going by the analysis of some stakeholders during the election, we achieved less than thirty percent of registered voters who came out to exercise their civic duty on Election Day.

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“Out of the total of 93.47 million registered voters, only 24.9 million persons actually voted in the Presidential and National Assembly Elections. This represents a meagre 26.72 percent voter turnout, actually the lowest percentage since the return to democracy in 1999. Some have even said the turnout is the worst since Nigeria’s Independence. In the 36 states, less than half of the eligible population turned out to vote, and no state had a turnout above 40 per cent.

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“In the three largest states, based on voter registration, i.e. Lagos, Kano and Rivers, less than a third of the eligible population voted.

Overall, voter apathy is a major challenge in Nigeria’s democracy. There is a worrying trend of public disinterest in or indifference towards the electoral and democratic processes.  We have proposed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deepen our partnership with by understudying the cause of voter apathy in Nigeria and what we need to do to solve that problem.

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“There is an obvious need to deepen the understanding of the 2022 Electoral Act which, by various accounts, has significantly altered the experience of our people at the polling stations. Some of the provisions of the new law attempt to take care of the violent nature of voting and mis-behaviours on the voting day. For instance, a result announced by an electoral officer under duress can be reviewed by INEC. Again, you can only be accredited by a Bimodal Voter Accreditation system (BVAS). No more no less. The introduction of the BVAS has made rigging a very difficult enterprise. Those who resort to violence to alter election results risk total cancellation of the exercise in the specific polling ward.

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“The General Elections of February and March this year showed a reasonable departure from the wide scale violence that characterized elections in the sixties and eighties. Though there were pockets of violence in some states which were easily contained by security forces. But beyond that, Nigerians have shown a disposition for peace and maturity in response to perceived electoral provocations. Good enough, all the major political parties and their candidates are in court and the tribunals to prove their cases or otherwise. As usual, the political class across board worked hard through their actions and utterances to arouse deep divisive sentiments amongst Nigerians. These unfortunate developments stirred up hate, suspicion, resentment, intolerance and pockets of violence in parts of the country during the elections, leaving the national atmosphere tensed, even after the elections.

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“These incidents, no doubt, have the potential of shrinking the civic space, especially with the off-season Governorship Elections coming soon in some states. Without doubt, the social media and indeed, all of the channels of communications contributed heavily in magnifying hate messages, fake news which led to a general sense of insecurity in the land.

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Our objective in NOA is also to sustain the peaceful nature of our elections during the off season polls. The Media specially must wake up to their duty in promoting peace and disallow political actors from using their channels to promote instability and violence during the elections. In Bayelsa state, come November, we are sure that the good people here will demonstrate its famous character of love, friendliness, orderliness and peace during the coming elections.

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” We are hoping that the intention of the new Electoral Act to facilitate inclusion of the vulnerable in the society, especially women, the young and Persons with Disability will be fulfilled as we prepare to hold the Governorship Elections in Imo State.

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” For us in the NOA, we find the Imo election particularly interesting because we must strengthen our structures to reach all the creeks and communities where the rains and floods may have made access difficult. Already, naysayers are predicting a violent atmosphere in Imo State.

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“As stakeholders, we should commit ourselves to peace during the forthcoming election.  I also use this opportunity to call on our Community Orientation Officers (COMOS) to redouble their effort to carry voter education and sensitization activities to the remotest part of the state so that the forthcoming election reflect the true choice of the people. We need to inspire confidence in the democratic model which has served several countries so well.

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“The level of violence, manipulations and desperation exhibited during elections have generally given democracy a bad name and all of us as Nigerians have a duty to put a stop to that.

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“The National Orientation Agency (NOA), in line with its mandate, has since been championing voter sensitization and citizens’ mobilization to ensure the new Electoral Act is well understood by citizens and given effect by all relevant stakeholders. The stakeholders gathered here have a duty to take this campaign further to other citizens who depend on them for information, sensitization and education during elections.

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“Political parties, socio-political organizations, traditional rulers, religious leaders, the youth, women, the media, Civil Society and professional associations are all specially called upon to demonstrate the patriotic duty of helping to deepen our democratic culture.

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“Finally, the NOA will continue to partner with relevant stakeholders who share in our mandate to promote and mobilize Nigerian citizens to participate in an election that is peaceful and orderly election and where the outcome represents the informed choice of the people on who should govern them.

Nigeria matters.”

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Also speaking,  the Imo State Director Of National Orientation Agency, Mrs. Maureen Oparaji  noted that the purpose of the meeting is to increase people’s participation in the forthcoming Election through sensitization and engagement of stakeholders.

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Oparaji, also pointed that peaceful elections are the key to the credibility of elections outcomes, adding that credible leaders are emerge when elections are peaceful and orderly.

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She added that the agency is optimistic that the outcome of the engagement will ensure a credible and violent free election come November 11, 2023 in Imo, as election should not be seen as war.

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The flag Off ceremony which was held at Government Secondary School, Okigwe Road, Owerri had the representatives of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) the Nigeria Police Force ( NPF) Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC),  Federal  Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and religious leaders were in attendance.

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