NGOs Coalition Trains 79 Observers in Kogi

NGOs Coalition Trains 79 Observers in Kogi

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

The Nigeria Situation Room, the  coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Nigeria has trained no fewer than 79 observers in Kogi  State ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The Kogi State Coordinator of Nigeria Situation Room and Executive Director, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), Comrade Idris Miliki Abdul, disclosed in press statement made available to the newsmen in Lokoja yesterday.

 Abdul explained that as  the 2023 general elections draw closer, there was need to encourage credibility in the electoral process, particularly on the election day, noting that situation room is  where an independent report would  be submitted.

The Situation Room in Kogi State under the coordination of CHRCR facilitated by Idris Miliki Abdul.

According to him, the Situation Room has  organised a one-day training for 79 observers that shall be deployed to the 21 Local Government Areas of Kogi State.

 They are expected to observe and report on the conducts of elections by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the 25th February and 11st March, 2023 respectively.

In attendance was the representative of  INEC in person of Haliru Haruna Sule, Head of Voters’ Education and Publicity, who represented the Resident Electoral Commissioner.

 In his remarks, the REC  commended the effort of the CSOs in partnership with INEC towards the conduct of free, fair and credible elections. He assured the organisers and participants that elections shall hold as scheduled and solicit for continuous collaboration among stakeholders towards  successful elections.

 The training featured importance and objectives of election observation, the rights and responsibility of observers particularly on elections day. Processes and filing of election reports, electronic format of transferring reports to Situation Room National Secretariat on election day, which include incident reports and other relevant information that can help the Election process.

The training also focused  on the use of BVAS, the role of Presiding Officers and voters on election day while at  the end of the training, observers kits were distributed to all the participants.

The REC said: “We called on Nigerians to be patient and work for the success of 2023 elections by participating actively and vote for candidate and party of their choice without inducement of any kind. And to restrain from electoral violence. As election is a contest between parties and individuals, and call on politicians and their supporters to follow the rules of the election game diligently.”