FCT Poll: NGO tasks INEC on credible elections in FCT
Noble Youths Mass Support Association (NYMSA), an NGO, has called on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct credible elections at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.
Reports state that the elections scheduled for Feb. 12, would be conducted into offices of Chairman, Vice Chairman, and members of the six area councils in FCT.
Mr Godwin Onmonya, the National Coordinator of the group, made the call in an interview with Newsmen in Gwagwalada on Friday.
He said a responsible and credible leadership was achievable if the processes leading to the emergence of leaders “are free, fair and devoid of any manipulation’’.
“We are appealing to INEC to ensure that the FCT elections are not only free, fair and credible but also to ensure that leaders emerge through popular votes.
“The desire of our group is to ensure that no qualified adult voter is left out in the process of choosing their next political representatives in the Feb. 12 FCT elections,’’ he said.
Onmonya also called on the political parties to play by the rules, urging them that election “is not worth the blood of any citizen’’.
“We further call on the police to document evidence of violence, infractions and their perpetrators share this information with INEC, in order to speedily bring offenders to book,’’ he said.
He said that the group had embarked on series of sensitisation of the electorate to ensure that eligible voters in FCT participated in the electoral process, especially in the collection of their PVCs.
“We have organised series of symposia, seminars and sensitisation campaigns to educate, sensitise and mobilise the people to take active part in the election of their representatives.
“Parties and their candidates should uphold the spirit and contents of the peace accord they entered into in the full view of the general public.
“There is a moral and legal obligation to abide by the rules of the education and there will be consequences in this regard in accordance to the provisions of the Electoral Act,’’ he said.
The coordinator urged INEC to shun acts that could derail the smooth conduct of the elections in FCT and ensure that people’s vote counted for the development of democracy in the country.
However, he enjoined all eligible voters in FCT to come out and effectively participate in the process of electing a leader of their choice in their respective Area Councils.
