From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
The Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), has sensitized about 60 residents of Osun state including civil societies and other stakeholders in the electioneering on the electoral reform.
The Executive Director of PAACA, Ezenwa Nwagwu, who spoke with journalists in Osogbo, on Thursday, explained that the sensitization became necessary because experience has shown that public understanding and level of awareness about electoral reform is low among Nigerians.
In his address before the commencement of the meeting, Nwagwu who sought to know the number of people who have a copy of the electoral act or INEC guidelines among the 40 participants, noted that the number has not been up to 20 per cent in the eleven states that the meeting had been taken to.
He explained that the meeting was organised to raise awareness and prepare the stakeholders for the 2027 elections to avoid a repeat of the usual uproar every time.
Noting that the National Orientation Agency and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have been left alone with the responsibility of creating awareness, Nwagwu challenged other institutions to rise to the challenges and liberate the people from the unknown.
He said, “The level of awareness is abysmally low. With our findings in the eleven states we have taken the town hall meetings to, it has been discovered that people are not aware of the electoral reform. People did not have the electoral act, not even the INEC guidelines (whether in print or soft copy).
“If you have engaged the perceived most enlightened section of the society and the result you get is below average, you can say authoritatively that the awareness is low.
“That is why we are challenging institutions that have a responsibility to stop flimsy excuses. That is why this town hall meeting is important to get more people acquainted with the electoral reform and election in Nigeria.
“Attitudinal reform is another important purpose of organising the meeting. What we had in 2023 was the issue of uploading results that stakeholders already have. It was a mischief played out because a lot of people had no idea about what was contained in the Electoral Act.
“So, beyond the legislative reform, there is also a need for attitudinal reform, so that by 2027, different stakeholders will be armed and equipped, to engage the election from the point of knowledge and deep understanding,” Nwagwu said.