Ahead of the November 11th Governorship election in Imo, Governor Hope Uzodinma has advised politicians in the state to shun any form of thuggery and violence in order to have a successful election.
Uzodinma observed that absence of thuggery and violence would provide a healthy environment for the electorates to choose credible persons that would give the people objective governance.
The Governor represented by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Placid Njoku at the Nation-Wide Workshop on Effective Implementation of The National Programme of Action/Sensitization and Awareness Campaign on Violence Free Election held in Owerri weekend condemned the politics of violence and destruction through the use of the youths.
The Governor advised the electorates not to give those politicians who use the youths to destroy the system the opportunity to govern them.
He insisted that votes in the November 11th Governorship election in the state must count, assuring government’s commitment towards ensuring that every vote counts.
The Governor challenge the security to go against anybody that will engage in destroying the election, while he assured that the 2023 election will be violent-free.
In her keynote address of the NC/CEO, AUDA-NEPAD/APRM, the National President of NEPAD Princes Gloria Akobundu expressed her appreciation for Governor Hope Odidika Uzodinma, for his hospitality and support.
She pointed out that one of the five (5) pillars African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and African Peer Review Mechanism is to promote Democracy and Good Governance in Nigeria and Africa at large adding that such cannot be achieved in a continent/country where their election/electioneering processes are marred with violence.
She said that based on the mandate and framework of National Programme of Action (NPoA), AUDA-NEPAD /African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the agency is saddled with the responsibility of ensuring optimum utilization of its early warning in entrenching democracy in line with the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 of peaceful and secured Africa for sustainable economic growth and development.
Akobundu acknowledged that the Workshop and Sensitisation are timely and critical for the upcoming general elections in Nigeria.
she stated absolute need for implementation of sensitization and creating awareness on Electoral process at the 36 states including FCT and 774 Local Governments in the country as was launched by Mr President, at the national level in Abuja on the 7th February, 2023.
According to her, the aim of the workshop is to create awareness on the management of Democracy and build a positive mindset of all Nigerian in the electoral process
She advised participants and relevant stakeholders to examine causes, effects of electoral violence and suggest ways to eliminate violence during the election as well as improve on the mechanism for preventing and managing elections in Nigeria, especially now that Imo state is about to embark on its election.
Princes Akobundu urged all the participants to go back home and talk to their people about this monster called “Violence” while appealing to mothers to talk to their children not involve in any form of violence to avoid dying for nothing.
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