Voter’s Education: INEC Gets Assurances from Civic Societies in Yenagoa

Voter’s Education: INEC Gets Assurances from Civic Societies in Yenagoa

As preparations for the November 11 Governorship Election in Bayelsa draws closer, Voter Education Providers in the State have given assurance to INEC that they would work harder to increase voter turnout and reduce cases of invalid votes during the polls.

They gave the assurance in Yenagoa during a one day Voter Education Providers Training organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

Speaking on the importance of the training and how to deliver on their mandates, some of the participants mainly drawn from civil society organisations, Mrs. Maureen Amananagha of YIAGA AFRICA, Dr Dise Goddy Harry of DO FOUNDATION, Mr. Torukuru Adakien of Mercy Seat Holistic Development Organisation, and Lady Eunice Nnachi , CEO/Founder, Eunice Nnachi Women Advocacy Foundation, ENWAF, pledged to adopt amongst others, a house to house sensitization strategy to enlighten the electorate to exercise their franchise on election day.

The Voter Education Providers also promised to ensure inclusiveness during the voting process, stressing that persons living with disabilities, pregnant women, virtually impaired people, the elderly and people with albinism all fall within the class of persons they would sensitize to take part in the exercise.

INEC National Commissioner supervising Bayelsa, Rivers and Edo states, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu regretted the negative information on social media tarnishing INEC’s image in the quest to conduct a free, fair and credible election, making the electorate lose faith in the umpire, urging voter education providers to reverse the trend.

INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Bayelsa State, Mr. Obo Effanga emphasized that the Commission would use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS in the conduct of the polls .

Eight Civil Society Organizations representing the eight local government areas in the state participated in the training in Yenagoa.