By Ishaq Dan-Imam, Lokoja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kogi state on Tuesday, engaged the traditional rulers and representatives of political parties.
As one of the series of stakeholders engagements and consultations preparatory to conduct of 2023 general elections, the meeting was on wide range of issues electioneering, schedules of PVC distribution, election security, conduct of election officials before and during conduct of elections in the state.
The resident electoral Commissioner, Dr Hale Gabriel Longpet said an offender was being being tried in court for hate speech an offence against sections 91-97 of new electoral law, which criminalize the use of abusive language in election campaigns as well cyber-bullying of political opponents.
Dr Longpet warned politicians and their followers to be weary of committing offences by avoiding cyber-bullying.
“The Commission has been consistent in mapping out measures and procedures that will make the entire electoral process seamless for the voters. We have embarked on an exercise tagged “expansion of vote access to polling units” aimed at ensuring that the Voter has a pleasant experience during the PVC collection and subsequently on election day,” he said.
According to him, PVCs distribution will be taken to ward levels to make it convenient for people to get their voters cards without cost of transportation and other logistical problems identified by the stakeholders at the interaction.
He promised to address the issues of terrains in difficult-to-reach communities in the borderlines in Ibaji local government area, armed conflict in Bassa LGA, alleged misconduct and compromise of INEC electoral officers in the local government areas and inadequate logistics bottlenecks raised by some traditional rulers, including Ejeh Ibaji, Ohiogba of Mozum and the Olujumu of Ijumuland and others.
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) made up of 12 political parties attended the interactive session.
They include Zenith Labour Party (ZLP); New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP); NRM; Accord Party; APGA; APN; PRP; APC; APP; SDP; Action Alliance AA; and Africa Action Congress AAC.
IPAC however expressed satisfaction with the measures taken by INEC towards achieving electoral sanity in the electoral process.
The traditional rulers on the other hand, pledged to convey INEC’s messages of peace to the voters in their domains as they expressed their shared resolve to end the culture of violence associated with previous elections geared towards peaceful elections in the state in particular.
