The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has assured of conducive environment for women to participate actively in coming general elections.
The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Nkwachukwu Orji gave the assurance during a seminar tagged,” Mitigating Violence Against Women In The Electoral Process” held in Awka.
Highlighting women exercising their franchise of voting, Dr Orji described violence against women in election as the major factor that militate against women participation in the electoral process, noting that they have duty to stand against violence in the forthcoming general elections.
He said that everything needed for the elections are ready, including the recruitment of workers, training of staff and non staff, supervising officers as well as training of security agencies, and assured Ndi Anambra of free, fair and credible election
Also speaking, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Garuba Umar represented by AGD Ndoma Hillary listed pre- election violence, as challenges that usually occurred during campaign period while snatching of ballot boxes, multiple voting, vote buying, denying of voter’s right are experienced on election day and before or after announcing the results the supporters of aggrieved candidates would embark on protest over claims of irregularity or rigging.
In his presentation, the State Director, National Orientation Agency, Barrister Charles Nwoji represented by Head Protocol and Public Affairs, Dr Dennis Ekemezie described women as the most critical stakeholders in family affairs and matters affecting society, maintaining that people should handle general elections with utmost sense of patriotism and commitment to eliminate violence against women in the conduct of election.
The State Commandant Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Awka, Commandant Obiageli Obiajulu represented by Dr Judith Udemezue urged women to come out en-masse and exercise their franchise calling on INEC to take the Voter Education exercise to the grassroots level.
In their reactions , Head of Gender Unit, INEC, Mrs Njideka Okoye and the Head of Voter Education and Publicity INEC, Dr Leo Nkedife said the aim of the meeting was to create awareness on gender base issues in election and provide forum for sharing experiences and approaches that will discourage violence before, during and after election, assuring women that their vote will count after election and charged them to help INEC to mobilize people that will come forward and collect their PVCs from the INEC office.
The event which was well attended by women featured question and answer session.
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