From Our Correspondent
Ahead of the Imo gubernatorial poll, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Wednesday in Owerri, held a one-day capacity-building training for voter education providers.
Prof. Sylvia Agu, Resident Electoral Commissioner, said the training aimed at ensuring increased voter turnout during the Nov. 11 governorship election in the state.
Opening the training, Agu said voter education providers will in turn sensitise the electorate in the local government areas.
“We cannot do it alone, hence, this engagement of the voter education providers. INEC will empower you to move to focal local governments for voter education and sensitisation.
“We hope to see increased voter turnout during the election, fewer invalid votes and electoral violence with enhanced respect for the sanctity of human life,” Agu said.
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She urged the trainees, mostly selected civil society organisations, on the need to enlighten the electorate towards protecting their ballots.
Earlier, the state INEC Administrative Secretary, Mr Fidelis Uguru, said the post-election review had shown that low level of voter education impacts negatively the election.
“People not knowing what they ought to do has shown the trend of voter apathy, many rejected votes, voters doing wrong things and pessimism among the electorate,” Uguru said.
According to him, INEC assembled voter education providers to help tell the citizens and electorate the correct information.
“This is to enable them to understand the voting process. They need to understand how the system works so that INEC will not always be blamed when elections are rigged,” Uguru said.
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