*as PAACA charges Southeast to hold their leaders accountable
By Michael Oche
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has expressed concern that politicians still resorted to divisive narratives in order to win votes in the just concluded general elections.
This is just as the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Center for Africa, PAACA, has also called for citizens reawakening in the South East part of the country, which will see them hold their leaders accountable, rather than continue to make excuses for their failure to develop the region.
Speaking in Enugu during a town hall meeting on the post 2023 election, NOA Director General, Dr. Garba Abari said Nigerians cannot leave leadership recruitment process in the hands of those he described as “merchants whose sense of patriotism are still not adequate.”
The meeting was organised by PAACA in collaboration with NOA to engage stakeholders in the electoral process, especially security agencies, Civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders on the lessons learnt from the 2023 elections.
Abari who was represented by the Enugu Director of NOA, said citizens must redefine their nationalism by holding those who preside over their affairs to account for their actions and inactions.
The NOA boss commended Nigerians for conducting themselves peacefully after the elections.
He noted that the introduction of new technological tools by the Independent National Electoral Commission reduced the incidence of ballot box snatching, during the election.
He said, “As we gather here today to share experience of our participation in the 2023 election, we must understand that what we seek to achieve is to point out the lessons of that experience. The search for power and position will always be contentious and full of aggression, intrigue and moments of excitement. What, however, distinguishes us in our current political engagements is whether our actions are well within the law and codes of decent behaviour.”
The Executive Director, PAACA, Ezenwu Nwagwu, in his presentation noted that elections are guided by laws and not emotions.
He said, “We throw our emotions, but it does not excuse you that there is a law guiding the election.”
He challenged the stakeholders to tell him the number of people who had a copy of the 2022 electoral law and those who actually read them but was surprised that only a few did.
Nwagwu there explained that election is not an event, but is a process that culminated into the event of February 25 and March 18
He said, “Those process determine your calls and judgement on election.”
Ne noted that INEC in conducting the 2023 general election acted within the ambit of the electoral law, pointing out that in the Southeast, people were practically being dragged to obtain PVCs and to vote whereas other came out en masse.
He said Southeast regions must begin to scrutinise their political leaders and hold them accountable, saying many of them have failed to provide good governance.
The meeting had in attendance, religious leaders including the Enugu State CAN chairman, Rev. Emmanuel Ede, traditional leaders, including the leader of the Hausa community and leaders of traditional worshipers, including members of Civil Society organisations and the media.
