Ekiti Guber Election: TEI Dialogues with stakeholders on successful Election

The Electoral Institute (TEI) has held its Maiden Edition of dialogue on subsequent elections in Nigeria even as the election that will usher in a new government in Ekiti State come June 18 2022 draws closer.

The event  took place   at Hassanat Event centre on Thursday 12th May 2022  in Ado Ekiti the Ekiti state capital.

"The Policy Dialogue on Ekiti State Governorship Election 2022: A Litmus Test For Election Administration in Nigeria Under The Dispensation of the New Electoral Act 2022 " was the paper delivered by Prof Christopher Oluwadare, a lecturer from the Department of Sociology, Ekiti state University.

Earlier, the Director General of The Electoral Institute, Dr. SA'AD Umar Idris represented by Dr. Ibrahim Sanni  in his address said it was imperative for the Institute to brainstorm and seek solutions to the probable issues in conducting elections especially Ekiti governorship election which will serve as a testing ground  for the new and amended Electoral act  whether there are still bottle necks the Act is yet to address which maybe evident in the election.

The lead discussant, Professor Christopher Oluwadare  highlighted some of the challenges the electoral body, Security agencies and even the electorates are facing during elections which has caused low turn out of voters, intimidation and sometimes violence.

Some of the challenges discussed includes; Low voter's turn out, vote buying,vote trading and vote merchandise. The Electoral Act 2022 and express deployment of technology and violence which has long being part of the electoral system in Nigeria was tabled as participants bare their minds on issues confronting the electorates especially vote buying, intimidation and lack of orientation.

The Resident Electoral commissioner Ekiti State Dr. Tella Niran and Professor Sam Egwu Inec Electoral commissioner Niger State also joined the lead discussant in tabling the challenges and offered probable long lasting solutions to the challenges.

The discussants all agreed that the Inec need to step up her game in maintaining composure and intensity the populace on the need to be actively involved in Electoral processes. Security agents were also tasked to properly monitor the election and ensured that the electorates are protected before during and after the elections.

Responding the commissioner of police ably represented by Superintendent Babayemi assured the stakeholders of the readiness of the police force to maintain law and order during the forthcoming elections he  also appealed to the general public to help security agents by reporting people of susceptible characters,  being vigilant and watchful all the time.

 In his address, Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, Chairman Board of Electoral Institute conveyed the goodwill of the Inec chairman Professor Yakubu Mahmood stating the fact that apart from some challenges encountered the Inec has performed creditably well in the Anambra and FCT council elections. He was  of the opinion that the Ekiti election serve as an avenue to test run some the policies embedded in  new constitution Electoral Acts.

The participants include; NGO's, NCO's, Security agencies,Inec, Media, Market leaders and Artisans.