2023 Election :Unesco collaborate with IPCR for peaceful conduct

Ayo Ajayi

Prior to the general election in 2023, the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have partnered to develop a political and peaceful youth engagement.

According to Dr. Bakut Tswah, director general of the IPCR, who was speaking at a three-day capacity-building workshop recently in Abuja on the political participation for peaceful democratic elections ahead of 2023 general election, said the success of the upcoming election depends on encouraging peaceful youth participation.

He said, ” The workshop is also in consideration of the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine-Russia War and the global energy and climate change crises are ravaging almost every sector in the country and indeed Africa.

” The occurrence of these unfortunate events no doubt, have the tendency to aggravate inflation, cause tension and predispose the youths to violent conflicts and various forms of criminality. It is therefore critically important to prepare ahead of the elections to safeguard it from violence and unpredictability.”
 
He also added,” that this capacity building workshop for youths is designed to go round the six-geopolitical zones. So this inaugural edition is meant for the youths in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and the training is for three days.

Representing the INEC Chairman, Director, Gender and Inclusivity Department, Mrs Lakunuya Dorothy Bello said, ” This engagement with the youth could not have come at a better time than now when there is an upscale in political activities preparatory to 2023 General
Elections.

The enactment of the new Electoral Act, 2022 with attendant chain of political activities unfolding makes necessary the commitment to engage the citizens, youth inclusive to deepen their level of knowledge of their electoral roles and responsibilities for informed participation in the sequence of events in the political space leading to 2023 General Elections.
She said, “the young men and women constitute the largest percentage of the voting population in the country. In the recently concluded continuous voter
registration exercise (CVR), of the over 12 million completed registration, a little more than 8 million fall within the age limit of 18 -35 years of age. Also, the registration figure of 2018 shows youth constitute 51% of 84 million Nigerians that registered to vote. The implication is that youth with their numbers constitute a power block that can influence the direction of electoral processes and their outcomes in the country.”

She continued, ” It is regrettable the involvement of our youth in election violence. It is quite worrisome that youth are often used by unscrupulous politicians who see them as willing tools to be manipulated to advance their narrow agenda during electioneering. Bad elements among the political class often preyed on the innocence and the vulnerability of the youth during a period like this to perpetrate violence and disrupt election process. Hence, the need  for this training”.

Mr Albert Mandy who spoke on behalf  of UNESCO regional director, said, “to achieve a remarkable landmark in forthcoming election all hands need to be on deck  and to guarantee that their basic human rights are recognized and enforced.