Faith-based NGO, Caritas Nigeria, has advised Federal Government and the security agencies to encourage Nigerians to jettison any form of fear on their security in participating in the February and March general elections.
The Chief Executive Officer of the NGO, Rev. Fr. Uchechukwu Obodoechina, gave the advice in Abuja on Thursday at a National Pre-Election Dialogue and public presentation of two books.
The books are titled “Anti-Hate Speech and Fake News Guide” and “Charter of Demand Document”.
Charitas Nigeria is a faith based agency of the Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).
He said that constant reassurance of security would encourage many citizens to come out en mass to vote for candidates of their choice in the elections.
Obodoechina said that if the security agencies and government failed in reassuring the citizens of their safety, it may have negative influence on the elections and the nation.
He also called on citizens to take their destinies in their hands and actively participate in the forthcoming elections, in spite of the daunting challenges, including the fear of insecurity.
Obodoechina said that democracy was government of the people and citizens were not permitted, in spite of the challenges, to sit at home and remain unconcerned.
“The Nigeria project is our project. It is not a project of government alone. A society is built through the various contributions of different segments of the society.
“Government are the people and if people are indifferent, then the government cannot do it alone. Even area of security, government cannot be alone.
“Individual people at different levels must be able to contribute their own quota to making Nigeria the home we desire.”
On measures to address hate speech and fake news, Obodoechina recommended that Nigerians, especially leaders of political parties, should focus on the values that promoted nationhood and not those promoting parties alone.
“For example, the value of peace, that we are to live together as a people. When we live together as a people, development becomes easier.”
On the two documents that were unveiled, Obodoechina said they were products of researches by the NGO, aimed at promoting successful conduct of 2023 general elections.
He said the documents were to get different stakeholders informed of their expected roles towards successful conduct of the elections.
He said the research was informed by the determination to get the duty bearers including INEC, to be more informed of their roles to avoid mistakes of the past and to make 2023 elections free, fair and inclusive.
“What the study meant was to help INEC identify peculiarity of changes and difficulties in each region.
“For example, if you go to the southeast, you see the problem of sit-at-home on Monday and general insecurity, kidnaping are essential realities. So how would a general election take place in such areas and become hitch-free and prosperous.?
“We thought that if we raise such concerns for the duty bearers, they will be more prepared in their efforts to address such gaps. They must be aware that in the South East for example, there are these tendencies.
“In the North East, we have the Boko Haram insurgency where people are not in their homes and all of that.
“If you have to conduct elections in those areas, what would you do?,” he said.
A Political Scientist, Prof. Emeka Aniagolu in his keynote address, commended Caritas Nigeria for doing the research.
Aniagolu said that the documents and short sketches made available in 10 languages by the NGO would go along way in sensitising Nigerians towards credible and peaceful elections.
Aniagolu urged law enforcement agencies to enforce the law in such a way that would make politicians to play according to rules and regulations.
“I am one of those who believe that most societies succeed not because you have people who are more law abiding, better human beings than in Nigeria, but because you have a much more effective law enforcement system,” Aniagolu said.
The professor, who commended the enthusiasm at which youth came out to register for permanent voter cards, encouraged them to do same to vote on election day.
Mr Timothy Ejeh, the Programme Director, Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), expressed delight that the association was able to mobilise many Nigerians to get registered for voter cards during the Continuous Voter Registration period.
Ehjeh said that JDPC, another faith based NGO of the Catholic Church, was happy that about 93.4m Nigerians were now registered voters in the country.
He said that sensitisation was ongoing to ensure that people also collected their Permanent Voter Cards, to participate in the polls.
NAN
