From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has launched its sensitisation and engagement of stakeholders towards the successful conduct of the 2023 governorship election in Kogi.
Speaking at the event in Lokoja, the Director of NOA, Dr. Garba Abari, said the campaign was to sensitise the stakeholders on understanding the new electoral act, civic participation and peace.
Abari affirmed the readiness of the agency to partner with relevant stakeholders, willing to promote and mobilise Nigerians to participate in a peaceful and orderly election, where the outcome represents the informed choice of the people.
Abari expressed concern over the relatively poor turnout of voters, in spite the seeming enthusiasm shown by Nigerians towards the 2023 general election.
He disclosed that out of the total number of 93.47 million registered voters, only 24.9 million person actually voted during the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
According to him, the turnouts represent a meagre 26.72 per cent of voters, which is actually the lowest percentage since the return to democracy in 1999.
The director general stressed that many have predicted a violent November 11 governorship election in Kogi, expressed his confident that Kogi would demonstrate its well known character for love, orderliness and peace during the coming elections.
“We are hoping that the intension of the new electoral act to facilitate inclusion of the vulnerable in the society especially women, the young and the people living with disability will be fulfilled as we prepare and hold Kogi governorship elections.
“We need to inspire confidence in the democratic model which has served several countries so well.
“The level of violence, manipulations, desperation exhibited during election have generally given democracy a bad name and all of us as Nigerians have a duty to put a stop to that,” he said.
According to him, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), in line with its mandate, has since been championing voter sensitization and citizens’ mobilization to ensure the new Electoral Act is well understood by citizens and given effect by all relevant stakeholders.
Earlier, the Acting State Director of NOA, Mr Patrick Edogbanya, said the stakeholders meeting would add impetus on the sensitisation programme to help eschew any form of violence before, during and after the election.
In his remarks, the Commissioner of Police in Kogi State CP Onuoha Bethrand who was represented by the Police Area Commander in Lokoja, ACP Sikiru Suara, said officers of the command were fully ready for an hitch free exercise.