LG Polls: Nasarawa Requests Technical Support from European Union

Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia

The Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) has sought the support of the European Union Support for Democracy and Good Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) to enable it conduct its local government election scheduled for October 6, 2021.

The Project Coordinator of the EU-SDGN, Mr. Hamza Fassi-Fihri, disclosed this in Lafia, the state capital, at a one-day EU-SDGN’s training of NASIEC staff and journalists on election administration, conflict management, and media and communication as a build-up to the forth coming council polls of the state.

The EU-SDGN project coordinator said: “EU-SDGN believes in the improvement of local elections, as they are the closest to citizens. We are proud that NASIEC requested for our technical support in assisting it to conduct this local elections as they are the closest to citizens’ realities.

“At this level, elected officials are to be accessible, as citizens have first platforms of engagement that will facilitate constructive dialogue with their representatives. And together they will find solutions to their constituents’ immediate needs.

“In order to ensure a smooth democracy of the electoral process, most of our goals are to offer stakeholders the opportunities as professionals.”

Fassi-Fihri explained that the overall objective of the training was the general concepts and consideration around best practices on election administration and institutional communication.

According to him, “The presence of the media is also key as this meeting offers them the opportunity to learn more about activities around an electoral event, understand the processes and to be best informed on the electoral constraints and context of operations, particularly ahead of the local government elections.”

In a welcome address, the NASIEC Chairman, Mr. Ayuba Wandai, said the training was organised at the instance of his organisation to train stakeholders, including journalists, on the administration of election.

He therefore thanked EU-SDGN for footing the bills of the training, and urged all participants to put into practice what they would learn during the training, as well as after the forthcoming council polls in the state.