The Platform for Youth and Women Development (PAYW-DEV), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), says it will carry out grassroots voter education for the 2023 elections.
According to PAYW-DEV, the project, which is in partnership with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), aims to provide citizens with information needed to actively participate in elections.
Speaking to journalists at a media briefing on Tuesday, Ogoegbunam Kingdom, executive director of the organisation, said the project will also address general gaps in voter education after consultations with INEC.
“After analyses of INEC strategy and other documents regarding civil society and voters, public outreach needs assessment and recommendations done by civil society groups in different forums, and after consultation and partnership with INEC, we identified different areas of support in order to reinforce the voter education/grassroots campaign for the upcoming presidential and national assembly, governorship and state assembly elections and address general gaps in the overall voter education/grassroots campaign,” he said.
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According to him, the campaign aims to foster a sense of trust in the electoral process and to create a vibrant civil society that engages in democracy development.
“The grassroots voter education programme/door to door exercise targets Nigerian citizens especially from the 36 states and 774 local governments areas in the six geo-political zones, providing them with the knowledge and information they need to actively participate in elections, and foster a sense of trust in INEC and the electoral process,” he said.
“The campaign contributes actively to creating a vibrant civil society that engages actively in democracy development and understands and supports the leading role of INEC in electoral administration.”
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He said the project seeks to educate the public on INEC’s role on ensuring credible elections, and commended the electoral commission for conducting a free, fair, credible and violence governorship poll in Osun state.
Speaking further, he said the project is slated to start in the second week of September, and will empower the electorate to participate effectively in the political process.
“We call on every well meaning Nigerian to join us, most especially the civil society organisations, the international community, political parties, stakeholders at the local and international level, to achieve our vision and objectives to promote democratic processes in Nigeria,” he added.
“We urge well meaning Nigerians who intend to be part of our programme as volunteers to visit our website and register as we intend to commence the grassroots voter education/door to door exercise in the second week of September.”
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INEC has slated February 25, 2023 for the presidential and national assembly elections, while the governorship and state assembly elections will hold on March 11, 2023.
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