Abakaliki—The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Ebonyi State National Orientation Agency, NOA, yesterday called on Ebonyi people to shun electoral violence, vote buying and other forms of malpractices in the 2019 general elections.
They also appealed to voters to participate actively in the 2019 general election warning that they would be doing themselves and the nation a disservice if they do not turn out en masse on the election day to cast their votes for their preferred candidates.
The duo made the appeal at the Voter Education and Sensitisation Campaign Towards the 2019 General Elections organised by NOA at Afikpo North Local Government Headquarters, Afikpo.
Director of NOA in the state, Dr Emma Abah, in his address warned that electoral malpractice of any kind in the next year’s election would have serious consequences on the nation’s democracy.
He said that NOA came up with the programme because according to him, “a proper education and awareness of the electorate and all participants in the electoral process is a fundamental need for the overall success of the exercise.”
Also speaking, INEC’s Electoral Officer in Afikpo North council area, Dr Johnson, appealed to the people of the state to shun voter apathy and participate actively in the electoral process to deepen the gains of the nation’s democratic experience.
“Please call your children and order them to stay away from electoral violence in the name of thuggery. Being a political thug is disastrous to the perpetrator and the family”, he warned.
