AWKA — The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Anambra State, has organised voter education and sensitisation workshop for select media personnel in the state. The workshop which started at about 12:30pm on Thursday October 27, was attended by about thirty media practitioners from various segments of both traditional and the new media in Anambra State.
The workshop which was chaired by the Anambra State INEC Administrative Secretary, Jude Okwuonu, was attended by the following INEC Heads of Department in the State office; HOD Voter Education, Barr. George Edeani, HOD Operations, HOD ICT, Engr. Emeka Nnaji, HOD EPM, Emma Isong, and HOD Legal Services, Barr. Sunday Nwegbeke. Each of the Heads of Department took time to explain the upcoming 2023 General Elections, as it concerns their department. The Public Relations Officer- PRO, of Anambra State INEC, Dr. Kingsley Agu, was also in attendance.
In his opening remarks, the Administrative Secretary of INEC, observed that the media has a critical role both in Nigeria’s democracy project, and in the country’s election. Setting the agenda of the workshop, Jude Okwuonu noted that the workshop focuses on events that are ongoing or yet to come as provided by the Electoral Act. Therefore focus, he said, should be on collection of PVC, Campaign and Election proper, which he said are the three activities that are yet to be completed in the 2023 General Election processes. Emphasising on the importance of the media in elections, Jude Okwuonu said that the media “socialises and mobilises electorates towards participating in the election”. He therefore asked for the maximum cooperation of Media actors in the state, to ensure a smooth and efficient experience for all, in 2023. “I want to urge you to once again extend your hand of fellowship to us…we count on you for the success of the 2023 General Election”, part of his remarks read.
For Barr. George Edeani, the HOD of Voter Education, “media and democracy are interdependent. Media supports democracy, and promotes democracy…”. He also stressed the need for fruitful partnership to ensure a successful 2023 General Elections, in Anambra state.
On his part, Engr. Emeka Nnaji, the HOD of Information and Communication Technology, took participants through the journey of INEC’s digitisation of the Electoral processes, since 2010. He regretted that before now, the major set back was the Electoral Act, but accordingly, the 2022 Electoral Act has strengthened the Commission by providing the legal framework for digitisation. He also explained that the current electronic machine used by INEC, is a multipurpose machine designed by INEC engineers. Stressing the efficiency of the digitisation system, he said that the Commission has carefully mapped every polling unit nationwide and was able to work with the Nigerian Communications Commission- NCC, to ensure that each deployed machine is inputted with the sim card of the strongest network operating in the area, it will be used. He also emphasized that the machines have extra eighteen hours battery life, aside the six hours inbuilt battery life.
On his part, the HOD of legal services, Barr. Sunday Nwegbeke, took participating media actors through major changes in the Electoral Act, which has set the 2023 elections apart from the rest. He said the Act provided for release of funds to INEC one year, to elections. According to him, this has fastened procurement and distribution of INEC materials. Participants were informed that some election materials are already being distributed. Other improvements on the Electoral Act include that over voting is now determined by number of accredited voters. The BIVAS machine does the accreditation automatically. In the area of pre-election litigation, only an aspirant that participated in a party’s primary election can file a suit against a candidate and the suit must be filed in a Federal High Court.
Some of the participants were representatives of Channels TV, Arise TV, AIT, and ABS. For online and print media, representatives of West African Pilot News, Punch, Vanguard, Nigerian Pilot, Leadership, Guardian, among others, were present. Ogene Fm, Wazobia Fm and Authority Fm, were some of the radio broadcast media representatives. The Anambra State Chairman of Nigerian Union of Journalist, Dr. Emeka Odogwu, was also in attendance, among other officers of the State Chapter of NUJ.
He is a Technical Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano’s Special Adviser on Legislative Matters, whoonce was a Special Adviser to a former Deputy Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly. Ebuka is a second class upper division graduate of Political Science from University of Calabar, Calabar Nigeria and holds a Masters Degree in Political Science with specialization in Government and Development Studies, from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nigeria
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