Daniel Efe/Port Harcourt
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Desmond Akawor has identified militarization of the electoral process as a major challenge to the successful conduct of elections in Nigeria.
Ambassador Akawor stated this on Friday 5th August, 2022 when a delegation of Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office of the British High Commission visited him at the party Secretariat in Port Harcourt.
According to press statement signed by Paul Deeyah, the Media Aide to Akawor, the PDP Chairman observed that a situation where the military would be deployed to arrest and intimidate leaders of a particular political party to give opportunity for manipulation of the process cannot guarantee sustenable democracy.
He noted, however, that with the new Electoral law and the technology introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the country’s election would witness significant improvements.
He urged election observers and other NGOs monitoring election to be objective in reporting the conduct of elections, describing them as critical to the success of the electoral process.
“Once it gets to electioneering period, there is always tension in Nigeria. This has been the problem of election. People are not allowed to decide who governs them. We believe that what INEC has done, if the security agencies can play their own roles and monitor activities and appear when there are crisis, we won’t have problems”.
The PDP Chairman disclosed that the party is women and youths friendly maintaining that the party reserved Vice chairmanship position in the 23 local government councils for women as well as empower youth through sports and other activities in the State.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation Elizabeth Drew said their mission was to access the level of preparations for the 2023 general elections and the extent of inclusion of women and youths in governance.
The British High Commission delegation leader thanked the State PDP Chairman for the leadership he is proving to be party and commended the party for carrying women along in its programmes and activities.
Present at the meeting were the Deputy Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Hon Chukwuemeka Aaron, the State Secretary, Drr Benibo George , the Treasury, Barr/Mrs Blessing Amadi and the State Publicity Secretary, Hon Sydney Tambari Gbara.