Ahead of November 11, 2023 governorship election in Kogi State, Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), said it has deployed 50 election observers to monitor the conduct of the election across the 21 local government areas of the state.
The Executive Director, CTA Faith Nwadishi disclosed this on Wednesday during a stakeholders meeting involving security agents, media, Federal Road Safety Corps, Road Transport Workers, Civil Society Organizations towards in preparations for November 11, 2023 Kogi State governorship election held in Lokoja.
According to her, two observers would be deployed to each local government, noting that they will be trained in election observation , Electoral Act 2022 and adherence to INEC Electoral Guidelines.
While speaking on provision of adequate security , the Executive Director called for synergy between the Police and other security agencies to instill confidence in the minds of voters before, during and after the conduct of the election.
“Security is a critical aspect of the electoral process that requires attention during the entire electoral process and INEC has recently raised an alarm and fears indicatingbthat insecurity may pose a great challenge to the governorship election.
“Citizens too have had cause to worry over the issue of insecurity in the state and if this is unchecked may discourage citizens from coming out to exercise their franchise on election day” she stated.
While cautioning the electorates against selling their votes, the Executive Director urged all the critical stakeholders to perform their functions to enable INEC perform free, fair and credible election in the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), William Ayah, who represented the state Commissioner of Police in his goodwill message, declared that the Kogi State Police Command has prepared adequately for the conduct of the governorship election in the state.
Ayah disclosed that officers and men of the police force who would provide security on the election day have been trained to enhance their capacity toward the conduct of peaceful election in Kogi .
Similarly, the Secretary of road transport workers Lokoja branch Austin Omeiza , said the union was fully prepared to transport election materials to every nook and crony of the state, noting that INEC had inspected and certified the vehicles the union would use to convey the materials.
He appealed to Police to provide armed security men that would escort the election materials to the various locations to avert the repeat of last election where vehicles conveying materials were disturbed by hoodlums.