A group, Campaign for Peaceful and Credible Elections in Nigeria, (CPCEN) has commenced efforts to ensure that the country’s electoral process is enhanced so as to instill trust and confidence of stakeholders through openness, credibility and transparency.
According to the group, credible elections provide leadership for a progress in any society while fraudulent election is an anathema to the people.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Director General of CPCEN, Sydney Asowari E. Jack noted that fraud in election could be reduced to the barest minimum, if the right steps are taken to correct Nigeria’s electoral system, emphasising that this could only be achieved if larger members of the society begin to show interest and participating in elections appropriately.
He said, “Such things as food, shelter, and clothing are basics that any society should overcome, by making them available for the citizens.
“Overcoming these things should by all means be a collective concern of all; the government, corporate Organisations and privileged individuals.
According to Sydney Asowari E. Jack, vote buying and selling has almost become a legitimate aspect of the over all electoral process in addition to violence which he said usually occurs at polling areas.
He attributed high level of unemployment as a major enabler of violence during elections.
“The rate of youth restiveness in the country has increased to an alarming rate. This is occasioned by the high level of unemployment in the country. As such the next elections and the coming ones might eventually be more violent than the previous ones.
“Politicians would want to win at all cost, thereby continuing in their nefarious act of supplying the young people with dangerous weapons, including guns, to use to intimidate voters at polling centres.
“Again, the use of underage voters. Most politicians deploy the use of voters who are not up to the voting age. One begins to wonder how these set of voters got registered in the first place. This therefore raises the question about the credibility of INEC during voters’ registration exercise.”
He said the cardinal objective of CPCEN is anchored on advocating for full participation at the elections, watching out and raising alarm against any fowl play perceived pre, during and after the elections.
He added, “CPCEN will use all necessary means to reach out to the electorate.
“Explore the media for continuous engagement of the electorate. Encourage youth participation.
“Advocate for fair, peaceful and credible elections. Advance for the call for evolving legislation for advancement in electoral laws that would ensure credible elections.”
The CPCEN DG also stated that the organization has commenced the collation of one minute videos in English and indigenous languages from stakeholders as a way of making them part and parcel of peaceful and credible electoral process in the country.
He noted that the aim is to preach against violence in all languages the young people can hear so that voter apathy which is a byproduct of violence will be reduced.
