With 25 days to the November 18, Anambra State governorship poll, the Youth Initiative for Advocacy Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to intensify its effort at improving on the voter education campaign across the 21 local government areas (LGAs) in the state.

In a statement made available to Journalists in Awka on their findings in the first phase of pre-election observation, the group urged the National Orientation Agency (NOA) political parties, civil society groups and the media to embark on aggressive voter enlightenment with a view to providing voter information.

YIAGA said that “Watching The Vote (WTV) Campaign” which the group was championing was aimed at improving credibility and transparency of elections.

According to the statement, the current report was the first of four series to be released by the group in the build up to the election.

It further observed the unavailability of sensitisation programmes on participation of marginalised and disadvantaged groups including; Youths, Women and People with Disability (PWD) in the upcoming election.

The group also enjoined all election stakeholders to target their voter education programmes at Youths, Women and PWDs.

The five-page report, which sourced information from locally recruited and well trained WTV election observers in the 21 LGAs of the state further read: “The report of the 21 Local Government Areas of the state showed that there have been minimal voter education activities in the 21 Local Government Areas of the state, with INEC and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) being responsible for 1% and 11% of voter education activity observed respectively.

“We advice INEC to adequately monitor and supervise its planned voter education programmes at the local government level while election stakeholders should ensure that voter education campaigns or political empowerment are targeted at women, youth and persons living with disability, in order to increase their participation in the electoral process.”

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