The Nigerian Situationroom, a coalition of civil society organizations, in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), an election observing body, has urged eligible voters in Anambra to shun all kinds of inducements and distractions and participate actively in electing the next governor of the State in forthcoming November 8, 2025 governorship election.

The groups, at a voters? enlightenment campaigns held at Regina Caeli junction in Awka on Friday along the Enugu-Onitsha expressway, said it would be wrong for voters to sell their mandates because of bags of rice, clothing or any amount of money without considering the future impact it will have on the society.

According to the Anambra State Chairman, Nigeria Situationroom, Prince Chris Azor, the best support needed from the citizenry on election day are to come out en-masse and vote without allowing inducements and other distractions to take them away from polling units.

Azor, who is also the President, International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre (IPCRC), reassured voters that their votes would count having engaged with key stakeholders and forged effective network for protection of their mandates.

?Today?s procession is climax of our activities towards ensuring that November 8 governorship poll records a massive turnout of voters, be credible and hitch-free as already planned by the INEC. We have galvanized and empowered the stakeholders to support in making it a reality. Anambra voters will come out en-masse and vote. Not only voting, protect your votes. With mandate protection, our votes will count.

?We have special observers; trained and empowered to work on election day. We have the crew to counter information disorder. We are appealing to the media to set agenda on voters? apathy and mobilize people to vote massively for the candidate of their choice. Let the people know that it is their right to vote and protect their votes. We are doing everything necessary to ensure that people votes count even at collation centres,? he added.

Also speaking, the Director, CDD-West Africa, Dr. Dauda Garuba explained that the public enlightenment campaign supported by the United Kingdom?s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), was aimed at encouraging massive participation on the November 8 poll.

Garuba, who was represented by Chibuike Mgbeahurike, recalled that Anambra State has suffered low voters turnout for long, and enjoined eligible voters yet to collect their voters cards to quickly visit their registration centres (electoral wards) for the collection and get ready to use them in exercising their franchise.

He said that when the masses vote en-masse on election day, it would boost the election integrity, lead to emergence of a popular candidate and deepen democracy for massive socioeconomic development.

According to him, the organization and their partners have held series of engagement campaigns with stakeholders such as INEC officers, security apparatus, government institutions and parastatals, media, civil society members, political parties, traders, among others, leading to establishment of mandate protection network and fact-checkers for credible conduct of November 8 poll.

?The idea is to encourage the masses to shun every form of distractions on election day. We want them to shut down their shops, businesses and other engagements and go to their polling units to exercise their franchise. It is your right to join in electing whoever will govern you in the next four years because democracy is government of the people, by the people and for the people.

?We are discouraging voters apathy. We want the outcome of the election to be a popular one. We can assure you that your votes will count. Your mandate will be protected. Don?t collect money to vote. We must rise to stop politicians from taking us for granted. We will keep voting until sometime happens. We are partnering with the security and other stakeholders to protect your mandate,? he stated. (Nigerian Tribune)

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