By Abubakar Yunusa
Ahead of the upcoming Governorship elections in Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi states respectively, the Chairman, Senate Committee on electoral matters, Sen. Sharafadeen Alli has appealed to eligible voters never to submit themselves to be used by desperate politicians for electoral manipulations.
Ali made the appeal at the at a stakeholders meeting convened by the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room in Abuja on the forthcoming election.
He urged security agencies to review their operational mechanisms to ensure that their personnel remain unbiased in their duties during the poll.
“It is only commitment from both security officials and the citizens that can guarantee an improvement in the electoral system.
“The National Assembly has commenced its oversight with the engagement of INEC in connection with the preparedness towards the off-cycle elections in the respective states,” he said.
Dr Yunusa Ya’u, the Convener of the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, said that credibility was important in the conduct of the off-circle election because it would help in shaping the trajectory of electoral democracy in Nigeria.
Ya’u expressed worry over the decreasing voter turnout and the need to rebuild confidence among Nigerians in the electoral process.
He said that delivering free, fair, and credible elections was vital to ensuring the satisfaction of the Nigerian people with the election outcomes.
Mr Obo Effanga, the Bayelsa INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), said that the police had assured of deploying 27,000 personnel to aid the election security.
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