By Amarachi Jim-Nwoko
ABUJA ( PRECISE POST) – Ekiti’s June 20 governorship election will be under watch from 272 trained eyes as Yiaga Africa rolls out its largest observer mission for the state.
Head of Knowledge Management and Learning at Yiaga Africa, Safiya Bichi, announced the deployment at a Civil Society and Media Roundtable in Ado-Ekiti. The team will include 250 stationary observers covering 250 sampled polling units and 22 roving observers moving across the 16 local government areas.
Bichi said the observers will track the movement of sensitive materials to Registration Area Centres, the opening of polls, voting, counting, collation and results management at both LGA and state levels.
She urged INEC to improve logistics, enforce the Electoral Act, and maintain professionalism. Security agencies, she added, must stay neutral and protect voters, officials, observers, journalists and political actors throughout the process.
“Political parties should shun violence. Elections are not a do-or-die affair. Citizens must be allowed to participate freely,” Bichi said. “If votes did not count, politicians would not be interested in buying them. Young people should come out and vote their conscience.”
Ekiti NUJ Chairman Kayode Babatuyi said the union will step up action against fake news and clamp down on quack journalists during the election. He described the media as vital to a transparent process and urged reporters to uphold ethics.
Olajide Funsho Benjamin, Executive Director of Disability Not A Barrier Initiative, called on Persons With Disabilities to reject voter apathy and turn out in large numbers to choose their candidates.
The roundtable was convened to build stakeholder collaboration and flag critical areas needing intervention before the poll.
