Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Idoma Elite Club, Worldwide (IEC), has called on politicians and the electorates, to adhere to democratic best practices, in the interest of peace and harmony across Idoma Land, Benue State and Nigeria at large.
The group made the call via a press statement issued at the end of the IEC Stakeholders meeting held on Monday in Otukpo.
In the statement jointly signed by the President and Public Relations Officer, Engr. Onoja Sunday Ugwu and Com. Omaga Elachi Daniel respectively, the group said that campaigns and electoral processes in Benue State must be “devoid of vote buying, thuggery and violence”.
They called on the electorates, to ensure they collect their PVCs, as their votes is needed, to set Benue State and indeed, Nigeria on the trajectory of socioeconomic prosperity.
They called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and other relevant stakeholders, to ensure that adequate voters’ education is carried out, especially at the grassroots, where majority of voters are uninformed.
They urged politicians to create and embrace platforms for interactions with the voters, as that will avail them the opportunity, to get first hand information about the candidates’ plans and policies. They called on security agents to deal with erring politicians and other offenders in accordance with the provisions of the new electoral law.
“As part of our efforts to consolidate on this advocacy, we will be having interactions with candidates from Benue State especially, those from Benue South, to appeal to them, to set the interest of the Benue people, above any parochial interest”. “We are calling on media organisations and online social media campaigners, to avoid divisive reportage, campaigns of calumny, blackmail and character assassination, that could promote tension and violence across the state.”
“We call on the federal government to ensure absolute security for voters and election officials throughout the elections so as to make it credible and acceptable by all Nigerians”. “We call on the Independent National Electoral Commision (INEC) to remain independent and neutral in the conduct of the forthcoming election in the country”, the statement reads.