Plateau LG Polls: NGO trains 80 election observers

Community Action for Popular Participation (CAPP), an NGO based in Jos, is organising a training programme for 80 participants that would serve as observers during the Feb. 17 local government elections in Plateau state.

Speaking at the event, the group Acting Executive Director, Mr Nelson Ananze, said the training became imperative as election observation contributes immensely towards successful polls.

He said observers play a key role during elections, as their reports were usually used to better future elections and could also be tendered as evidence in courts when the need arises.

“The role of election observers is very critical because they ensure the election process is free, fair peaceful and credible.

“The reports they will also write as to what they observed during the elections can be tendered as strong evidence in a law court whenever an aggrieved party decides to challenge the outcome of the polls.

“So, as an organisation working assiduously to ensure a credible and acceptable local government elections in Plateau come Feb 17, we deem it feet to conduct a training session for the observers that will go round to observe the polls.’’

He explained that the first part of the training would accommodate 80 observers who are drawn from 18 communities in the six local government areas.

“We are also involving some members of the Civil Society Organisations (CBOs) in the state,” he said.

Ananze further advised the State’s Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), to ensure the processes that would lead to the council polls were transparent so as to conduct an election that would be acceptable to the people.

He said the citizens were eager and prepared for the polls and any attempt by the state’s electoral umpire to derail the process may spell doom for the state.

He also called on the citizens of the state to conduct themselves peacefully and not take the laws into their hands before, during and after the polls.

The training will be organised under the project Strengthening Citizens Engagement in Electoral Process in Nigeria (SCEEP) and will be supported by ActionAid Nigeria, Ukaid, and BBC Media.