By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus
The Polling Unit Ambassadors of Nigeria (PUAN), an NGO, Kwara Chapter, says it will partner the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to sensitise the electorate ahead of the 2023 general election.
The PUAN Ambassador in the state, Mr Abdullahi Bada, made this known during an advocacy visit to the Ilorin office of the agency on Tuesday.
Bada said the partnership was necessary to sensitise eligible voters to participate in all electoral processes.
He said PUAN is a group of observers working in partnership with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to observe elections and send reports to its headquarters for onward transmission to INEC.
He said PUAN has members in the 16 local government areas and wards of the state and five members would be in each polling unit on election days.
The state ambassador added that the group would also sensitise, educate and mobilise eligible voters to votw for good democratic governance in Nigeria.
”We also encourage and support the collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) from the electoral body, INEC.
”Let’s rebuild Nigeria together; a new Nigeria is possible and this assignment must be our collective responsibility,” Bada said.
Respondinge, the acting NAN State Correspondent, Alhaji Abdulfatai Beki, noted that the group would no doubt assist in ensuring transparent and credible elections.
”But there are some grey areas that I want the group to also look into which include how to guard against void votes.
”There should be sensitisation on this and it should be targeted at the grassroots and non-elites.
”Also, the issue of vote buying should be discouraged as it is tantamount to selling of one’s future.
”Then, encourage eligible voters to go and collect their PVCs to avoid disenfranchisement,” Beki said.
PUAN is a socio-political pressure group that encourages good democratic governance in Nigeria. (NAN)
