SI4DEV Kaduna Joins Civil Society Stakeholder Forum With SIECOM

INEC POLITICAL PARTIES, CSOS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON THE 2018 LGA ELECTIONS CONVENED BY V2P (VOICE TO THE PEOPLE)/ LEADS AT NUT END WELL HOTEL KADUNA.

COMPILED BY YOSI DANJUMA AND IDOKO

FOR SI4DEV KADUNA TEAM.

SUPERVISED BY: UKAIGWEH ROBERTS NNAEMEKA

The meeting started exactly 11am with representation from the political parties, CSOs, religious organizations, Nigerian police, NSCDC and community members.

The convener Mrs Rebecca Sako John from LEADS gave a welcome remark and state the objectives of the meeting, She thanked SIECOM for designing the electronic machine to be deployed for the conduction of the forth coming election.

She also thanked the CSOs and the CLOs for honouring their invitation and charge them to keep working hard in enlightening the public to participate in the election and shun voter apathy which has done more harm than good to elections and governance in Nigeria.
Mrs. Rose also appeal to the INEC and KAD-SIECOM to ensure that permanent voter cards are distributed to registered voters who registered in the ongoing continuous voters registration exercise to enable them participate in the elections.

GOODWILL MASSAGE
There was goodwill massages from the Kaduna state chairman of CNPP /IPACThe representative of the commandant of the NSCDC Kaduna state command csc Okoroafor, The representative of the Nigeria police force, INEC, and SIECOM also gave their goodwill massages.

The representative of the commissioner of Police draw the attention of the participants to how the conduct of political parties and politicians make policy very difficult for security agencies before and during elections and encourages LEAD as well as other CSOs on massive voter’s education to assist the police in providing security during the polls.

STATEMENT BY SIECOM REPRESENTATIVE

The representative of the SIECOM in his speech confirms the date of the local council polls to hold on 12th may 2018. The election will hold in all the 23 local government councils, and 255 wards.

Mr. John Bulus state that the councillorship election results will be announced at the ward level while the chairmanship results will be announced at the local government collation centers closely monitored in the SIECOM control Centre. He also stated that only the following are eligible to vote,

1. Age 18 and above
2. Registered by INEC
3. Must be a citizen of Nigeria
4. Must present his or her PVC on Election Day.

He also stated that the following can only be voted for,

1. Registered member of a Political Party.

2. Nominated by their party through primaries.

3. Within the age limit stipulated by the electoral act.

There were observations and Questions from participants and answers were provided accordingly by the INEC and SIECOM on election matters.

The later part of the proceeding was in hausa which I cannot understand nor speak.

COMMUNIQUÉ REACHED
Panel agreed that both permanent and temporary voters card should be used. But this may not be possible because of the voting machine to be deployed, Political parties were advised to carry along people with disabilities in all their activities.
On extension of time for political parties to carry out credible primaries, participants agreed that no further time should be extended since it will create inconveniences for SIECOM.
The meeting ended at 3 o’clock pm.