By Lydia Ngwakwe
#TrackNigeria: An NGO, Women Arise for Change Initiative, on Wednesday urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to bring perpetrators of election violence and vote buying to book.
Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, President of the group, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, that this was to ensure the sanctity of the upcoming elections were maintained.
Okei-Odumakin: “INEC must demonstrate its preparedness to ensure the sanctity of our elections by ensuring that perpetrators of election violence and vote buying are immediately sanctioned.
“INEC must also ensure that elections are cancelled in areas where such violence and vote buying are experienced.’’
The rights activist also urged the three tiers of government to ensure further liberalisation of the political space for women.
She urged the three tiers of government to ensure that more women take up appointive positions and become managers of public institutions.
According to Okei-Odumakin, this will encourage them to take up the challenge of vying for elective positions and in the end, we will have more women winning elections in Nigeria.
He advised governments to encourage political parties to create larger spaces for women so as to enhance their capacities and make them to contest elections.
She said INEC had done its best to ensure that elections were free, fair and credible.
“However, we cannot expect much as Nigerian women except from the political parties and other stakeholders involved in the electoral process.
“It is expected of the political parties to create more rooms for women participation and to support INEC in the areas of voter education which is mostly required by women due to their level of education.
“Therefore, little or less should be expected from INEC by Nigerian women,’’ she said.
The election, according to INEC, will hold on Feb. 16 for the National Assembly and Presidential elections, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections hold March 2. (NAN)
