The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA says it is partnering with other relevant stakeholders to mitigate electoral violence in the forthcoming general elections.
The agency’s Director-General, Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed, stated this at a stakeholder’s workshop on “ Awareness, Preparedness and mitigation of electoral violence in Nigerian elections’’ organised by NEMA on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti.
He said that the partnership because necessary considering the prevalence of electoral violence during elections period in the country.
Ahmed, who was represented by Operation Manager, in charge of Ondo and Ekiti, Mr Kadiri Olarewaju, said the stakeholders meeting was an opportunity to create a forum for a well coordinated emergency response team to attend to emergencies that may arise before, during and after elections.
He said there was the need for all stakeholders to put all hands-on deck to mitigate the recurrence of electoral violence’s in our electoral system.
“Based on the principles of early warning approach to disaster risk management, effective sensitisation is an important tool.
“There is no gain saying that the success or otherwise of the 2023 general elections do not only rest on the INEC but on every Nigerian.
“We have to use every opportunity to sensitise, discourage violent activities and encourage peaceful, transparent and credible polls,” he said.
In the same vein, the General Manager, State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Mr Jide Borode, called on INEC to set rules for politicians to reduce violence during elections.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, represented by Austin Orogbu said that INEC had partnered with security agencies to identify hot spots where are usually prone to violence during elections.
He commended NEMA for organising such an event ,saying that the early warning would support the prevention of election related violence.
He called on Nigerians to assist INEC to conduct a free, fair, credible and acceptable election by not selling their rights by indulging in votes buying.
Representatives from Red Cross, Religion bodies, Police, Department of the State Security, DSS, National Orientation Agency, NOA, National Security and Civil Defence Corp, NSCDC among others assured their preparedness towards the forthcoming general elections in the state.
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