LGA Poll: ActionAid, SSDO Train Enugu Youths As Election Observers

Posted by Ignatius Okpara African News, Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Monday, September 16th, 2024

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – As part of its contribution in enthroning credible Chairmen and Councillors in the upcoming Enugu state local government areas election slated for 21st, September, 2024, ActionAid Nigeria, in partnership with her implementing partner in the state, South Saharan Social Social Development Organization (SSDO) have trained 120 youths as election Observers ahead of the council poll.

The council election being conducted by the Enugu state Independent Electoral Commission ENSIEC, is expected to take place in the 17 local government areas of the state, with a total of 16 political parties that have indicated interest in the exercise participating.

Speaking with newsmen on Monday during the opening ceremony of the two day training programme taking place at the Holy Ghost Cathedral of the Enugu Catholic Diocese, ActionAid Head of programmes, Mr. Celestine Okwudili Odo, disclosed that seven participants were drawn from each of the 17 local government areas of the state for the all important assignment.

He hinted that the Enugu 2024 Council area election monitoring programme by ActionAid, is being carried out in partnership with her implementing partner in the state, SSDO, the Justice Development and Peace/ Caritas Initiative (JDPC) of the Enugu Catholic Diocese as well as Enugu state government.

Odo, who warned the participants against abrogating unto themselves the powers of Party agents or electoral officers while in the field, insisted that their assignment should not go beyond that of domestic election observers.

He therefore urged them to resist the temptation of being biased, having sympathy for a particular political party or being sentimental, noting that if they do that, the essence of the training which is aimed at educating them on how to observe the election process would have been defeated.

According to him, the organization decided to train the election observers because of its special interest at the grassroots levels where the vulnerable and less privileged in the society are mostly domiciled, adding that as a body, local government elections in Nigeria, especially that of LGAs is very important and dear to them, “because the local areas is our primary constituency.

The organization he further revealed, has developed an App, called the eye monitor through which the trained election Observers would be feeding it’s situation room with happenings across the 17 council areas of the state during the poll.

He said : “ActionAid Nigeria is organising this comprehensive training session for election observers in preparation for the upcoming Local government elections in Enugu State to ensure a fair and transparent electoral process, adding that the Observers will be on ground in all the 260 political wards in the state.

“The training will cover key aspects such as electoral laws, observation techniques, and reporting procedures. The event will also serve as an opportunity to brief the media and the public on our readiness and plans for the election period.

“With the election fast approaching, it is crucial to ensure that election observers are well-equipped to monitor the process effectively” stressing that the organization is a national non-governmental, non-partisan, non-religious, civil society organisation, and an affiliate member of the ActionAid International Federation with presence in 70 countries.

“It works in solidarity with people living in poverty and exclusion to achieve social justice, gender equality and poverty eradication towards achieving a just, equitable and sustainable world in which every person enjoys the right to a life of dignity, freedom from poverty and all forms of oppression”.

Odo, also emphasised the need for young people in Nigeria to always be proactive and be at the forefront when it comes to the issue of electing political leaders at all levels of governments for their own good and interest.

“But in carrying out this assignment, once again, you must not be biased or apolitical. avoid taking sides with any political party, conduct yourselves in a professional manner because ActionAida has a name to protect, we are not a political organization” he maintained.

Also speaking, Executive Director of SSDO, Dr. Stanley Ilechukwu represented by Head of programmes, Mr. Udochukwu Egwim, said they are partnering ActionAid and other organizations in ensuring that the upcoming Enugu LGA election was transparent and conducted in line with electoral laid down procedures.

He averred that the trained election observer would be depolored to all the 17 council areas with a view to furnishing the situation room with happenings in various voting centres across the state .

“So, part of the reason for this observers training programme is to enable us to have a total coverage of the 2024 Enugu LGA election. We are doing all we can as always in Nigeria and the state to ensure that our electoral system improves, and meet international best practices” he stated.