Civic Education
It
is a notorious fact that Nigeria had never witnessed a peaceful electoral
process from a civil democratic rule to another civil rule. The violence
usually experienced during the electoral process had hitherto constituted a
major catalyst to the truncating of democratic rule in Nigeria. The women and
youths were usually the tools for such undemocratic behaviors. Although women
and youths formed a higher percentage of voters, they are also the instruments
for vote rigging, election violence, vote sales, multiple voting and
disqualified votes.
The last
National General elections held in 2003 was an eloquent testimony of a large
turnout of women and youths voters most of whom were not registered and whose
votes were disqualified as bad votes for failure to comply with official
regulations for voting.
From WOCON's
experience at monitoring elections in South West Nigeria, this trend of
voting irregularities could be categorized into five types. These
are:
The failure of women and youths particularly those within the ages of
18-22 to register as voters.
The use of non registered voters by politicians to vote with registration
cards obtained with factious names resulting in illegal voting and elections
violence
The lack of education on procedure for voting leading to the
disqualification of a large percentage of votes by women (especially
illiterate women) and youths
Sales of votes by politician predominantly to women and youths who are
were mostly vulnerable on account of poverty.
Multiple voting especially by the youth.
All these
malpractices are catalyst to the emergence of corrupt and inept political
office holders and electoral violence which can derail the already fragile
Democratic Rule. consequently for the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria,
there is need to educate the women and the youths on issues relating to voter
rights, registration process, voting procedure, vigilance to avoid voting
irregularities, prevention of election day violence, and the adverse
consequences of selling votes.
As the 2007
general Elections drew near there was a heightened anxiety over the success of
the electoral process and a break from previous derailment of the Democratic
system of Governance. Past electoral processes in Nigeria had resulted into
violent eruptions and subsequent military take over. Consequently in order to
sustain the fragile Democracy it had become extremely important to embark upon
massive voter and civic education of the Populace.
'For
the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria therefore, there is need to educate the
community leaders, women and the youths on issues relating to voter rights,
registration process, voting procedure, vigilance to avoid voting
irregularity, prevention of electoral violence and the adverse consequences of
selling votes. Furthermore, apathy to voting and lack of adequate knowledge
for the voting procedure has also contributed to the derailment of democratic
rule in Nigeria. Consequently it had become imperative to address the issue
through voter education and sensitization of the populace towards ensuring a
peaceful electoral process and in order to facilitate smooth transition to
another term of civil democratic Rule..
The project
"voters education for women and youths in South - West Nigeria" is a
multifaceted approach for voter education and sensitization, training of
trainers of voter educators and setting up of State's Task force committees
for voter monitoring. The project Manager and coordinator of the project Mrs.
'Bisi Olateru - Olagbegi, Executive Director of WOCON, a legal practitioner,
gender consultant and human rights trainer with a wide experience in trainings
and campaigns for good governance and sustainable democracy.
WOCON posseses an
abundance of resourse persons which include political scientists, management
consultants and renowned gender and human rights trainers in its membership
and consultants.
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