Anambra Guber: CDD, others launch campaign against voters apathy, vote buying

By Okechukwu Onuegbu 

As Anambra State November 8 gubernatorial poll draws nearer, the Nigerian Situationroom, a network of civil society organisation in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy & Development (CDD-West Africa), on Friday, charged eligible voters in Anambra State to come out en-masse and vote candidate of their choice, assuring that their votes would count and mandate protected. 

The groups gave the advice at a voter education public enlightenment campaign tagged Protect your mandate, held across Streets of Awka, Anambra State capital with the support from the United Kingdom's Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Addressing the masses, the Director, CDD-West Africa, Dr. Dauda Garuba, explained that when the masses vote en-masse on election day, it would boost the election integrity, lead to emergence of a popular candidate and deepen democracy.

Garuba, who was represented by Chibuike Mgbeahurike, recalled that Anambra State has suffered low voters turnout for long, and enjoined eligible voters yet to collect their voters cards to quickly visit their registration centres (electoral wards) for the collection and get ready to use them in exercising their franchise.

According to him, the organisation and their partners have held series of engagement campaigns with stakeholders such as INEC officers, security apparatus, government institutions and parastatals, media, civil society members, political parties, traders, among others, leading to establishment of mandate protection network and fact-checkers for credible conduct of November 8 poll.

"The idea is to encourage the masses to shun every form of distractions on election day. We want them to shutdown their shops, businesses and other engagements and go to their polling units to exercise their franchise. It is your right to join in electing whoever will govern you in the next four years because democracy is government of the people, by the people and for the people.

"We are discouraging voters apathy. We want the outcome of the election to be a popular one. We can assure you that your votes will count. Your mandate will be protected. Don't collect money to vote. We must rise to stop politicians from taking us for granted. We will keep voting until sometime happens. We are partnering with the security and other stakeholders to protect your mandate," he stated.

Also speaking, the State Chairman of Nigeria Situationroom and President, International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre (IPCRC), Prince Chris Azor, said they were expecting about 2.8 million voters to participate in the election having been engaged positively.  

"Today's procession is climax of our activities towards ensuring that November 8 governorship poll records a massive turnout of voters, be credible and hitch-free as already planned by the INEC. We have galvanised and empowered the stakeholders to support in making it a reality. Anambra voters will come out en-masse and vote. Not only voting, protect your votes. With mandate protection, our votes will count.

"We have special observers; trained and empowered to work on election day. We have the crew to counter information disorder. We are appealing to the media to set agenda on voters apathy and mobilise people to vote massively for the candidate of their choice. Let the people know that it is their right to vote and protect their votes. We are doing everything necessary to ensure that people votes counts even at collation centres ," he added.