As political activities continue to build momentum ahead of the November 11th, 2023, governorship election in Bayelsa State, a Disability Advocacy Organization, TAF-Africa, has commenced the training of Internally Displaced Persons(IPDs) to educate them on their right to vote in line with INEC’s 2022 Regulations and Framework for IDPs.
The training program, which was held in IDP camps across Yenagoa and funded by the European Union through its support program for Democratic Governance in Nigeria, was also aimed at encouraging IDPs to participate in the electoral process of the state actively.
Speaking with a journalist shortly after the event, Programme Manager, TAF-Africa, Mr. Olayemi Samuel, said that the training became necessary to inform the physically challenged and the internally displaced persons on some INEC policies that are not known to them.
Mr. Samuel, who said INEC has a regulation that promotes the participation of IDPs during electoral processes, also lamented that there was no level of knowledge in terms of awareness about the particular document.
According to him, the sensitization was premised on the need to increase the knowledge of IDPs on the new regulation and inform them that INEC is working on creating opportunities for IDPs to engage in decision-making processes at all levels.
On IDPs’ request for the establishment of polling units in their camps for easy voting, Mr. Samuel promised to convey their request to INEC for urgent action.
He urged them to continue to interface with INEC to ensure some of the provisions in the regulations are implemented to the latter.
Mr. Samuel encouraged the IDPs to get their permanent voter cards to enable them to exercise their franchise in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the State.
On their part, the Chairman of Bakassi Returnees, Cameroon Camp, Mr.Richman Knight, its coordinator, Chief Osuobotoye Bedford, and Women leader, Beauty Toru, described the program as timely and apt.
Mr. Knight, Chief Bedford, and Mrs. Toru narrated their ordeal while performing their civic obligation and the discrimination they suffer.
They appealed to INEC to site polling units in their camps to save time and cost of traveling to other communities to exercise their civic duty.
The trio also appealed to the electoral umpire to establish voter registration centers in Internally Displaced Persons camps and host communities to ensure their full participation in the electoral process.
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