Nigeria’s Electoral Commission has engaged the European Centre for Electoral Support, ECES, to train heads of Voter Education and Publicity departments across the 36 States. The five-day exercise, which is holding in Calabar, Cross River State, is expected to develop the capacity of the participants on avenues to ensure credible polls and forestall possible election crisis.
Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu described the training as well- timed in view of the forthcoming general elections.
Professor Mahmood, who was represented by the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Cross River State, Dr Frankland Briyai said the commission is on course in its preparations for the elections.
He underscored the important role of heads of voter education and publicity.
He said, “the participants have the heavy task of educating and informing the public and electoral stakeholders on policies, programmes and activities of the commission”.
According to him, “the commission was doing everything within its powers to ensure the provision of resources and enabling environment for efficient operation”.
He commended the ECES of the European Union for organising the training, which would practically engage participants using problem solving models.
Project Director and Senior Electoral Expert of the European Centre for Electoral Support, David Le Notre said that the training would involve improving the leadership capacity the participants by providing tools and reinforcing the already acquired skills.
Le Notre further stated that the training would equip them to mitigate conflict situations and escalation of violence throughout the electoral process.
He noted that the Leadership and Conflict Management for Electoral Stakeholders workshop were significant to the overall public perception of the voting process.
“Everything is based on perception and if there is a wrong perception, even if it is not true, people are going to believe it. So, to have credible elections, you need to have a lot of explanations, communication and with these heads we are going to target the message which INEC is trying to give,” stated Le Notre.
“We are going to see how to mitigate conflict so we will give the tools to the communication people to enable them prevent conflicts effectively,” he noted.
The five day training has the theme: Leadership and Conflict Resolution for Electoral Stakeholders.
