From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
African Union Development Agency/New Partnership for African Development (AUDA-NEPAD) has joined the ongoing sensitization campaign across the country on the need for a violence-free election on February 25th and March 11th, 2023.
National Coordinator, AUDA-NEPAD, Princess Gloria Akobundu, told journalists at a press conference in Abuja, on Tuesday, that the sensitization and advocacy is part of their responsibilities as African Union Development Agency.
She explained that the objective of the sensitization and advocacy was to create awareness through roadshows on the management of democracy and also build positive mindset in the electoral process which includes voter’s education, civic rights, new voting technologies, prevention of electoral crisis, pre and post electoral crisis management.
She also noted that the violence-free election sensitization was timely and critical judging by the tension-induced elements that have allegedly pervaded the environment and still persists and waxing stronger, and if left unchecked and unmanaged with seriousness, could cause a great danger.
She said: “On 7th February, 2023, President Muhammadu Buhari, launched the second review report of Nigeria and also kicked-off of the nationwide violence-free election campaign to usher-in a free and fair general election.
“Election violence, unarguably, induces fear of physical injury and actual loss of life resulting in psychological effects on individuals and society which are resultant impacts expected from fraud, vote-buying and other varieties of electoral manipulation.”
She added that the second country report recommended collaborative efforts in addressing challenges of escalating conflicts and violence in the country through early warning mechanism which includes advocacy, negotiation and sensitization.
“Electoral violence has been a re-occurring problem and threat to achieving democracy and good governance in Nigeria and Africa at large, hence the challenge is obviously inimical to democracy, and efforts must be made to combat it,” she suggested.