2019 Election – WFD Charges Youths, Women To Participate Fully In The Process
Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
As the 2019 general election is approaching, women and youths in Nigeria have been admonished to participate fully in the electoral process in a meaningful way.
The Country Representative, Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), Mr. Adebowale Olorunmola who was represented by the Programme Coordinator, Olusola Folayan made this words of admonition at a one day training of trainers on Voter Education for the Assistant Electoral Officers (Admin) of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Osun State on Saturday held at Aenon Suites Hotel, Osogbo.
Folayan who informed that the capacity building project is supported by European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) was organised to educate further the INEC AEOs across the state for them to sensitive the Corp members in their respective stations who will now transfer the message to the people outside most especially for the youths to shun electoral fraud, violence and other related offences, said it was in partnership with the Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund (NWTF) for the participants to use peer-to-peer civic and voter education to woo women and youths for them to engage in the Country’s electoral process and to tackle the alarming rate of rejected ballots and the menace of vote buying that is undermining and intimidating the conduct of credible election in the country.
Folayan said that, the organization engagement in Nigeria is focused towards their demonstration of support to sustainable Democratic growth through inclusive citizen participation and strengthened institutions capable of accountable governance.
According to Folayan, “WFD is a Non departmental public body sponsored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in the United Kingdom, UK, and established in 1992.
WFD provides expertise in developing parliaments, political party structures and civil society organization, the key institutions that make up a functioning democracy”.
Folayan identified the overall goal of the project as to increase participation of women, youth and other marginalised groups in electoral process in the country while the objective is to increase awareness of citizens from traditionally underrepresented groups specifically, women and youths saying by enhancing their capacity to engage in Nigeria’s electoral process.
She added that the project will be implemented in the FCT, Imo and Osun States.
In his opening remark, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Osun State, Mr Segun Agbaje who was represented by the HOD Voter Education and Publicity, Venerable Steven Akin Ojewande commended the organiser of the programme for organising the programme at this point in time and for choosing Osun State as one of the three pilot states for the project describing it as a round peg in a round hole which based on the track record of the state’s INEC.
He opined that the participants at the end of the programme would have better informed, educated and adequately prepared to step down the training to NYSC Corps members who will in turn disseminate the message of voter education and sensitisation to various stakeholders at their respective local government areas of the state as part of their Community Development Service, CDS.
Also speaking with newsmen at the programme, the Assistant Director Broadcast Media, INEC, Abuja, Mr. Chukuemaka Ugbuaja, said the training will enhance the knowledge of the participants to train corps member on voter education and sensitization towards the forthcoming election.
He admonished the trainers to make sure they make proper use of the training they have acquired to educate the corps members on how to persuade the voter to cast their votes correctly.
The participants, Mrs Oluwaseun Rachael Osimosi an INEC AEO attached to Isokan Local government area of the state and Mr Tolu Ogunsina of Ifedayo local government also appreciated the organiser for bringing the programme to their door step now that the general elections draw nearer, noted that the programme would enhance adequate involvement of both the youths and women in the coming electoral process while it would also avert any election crisis that may occur during the process.
Reported by Richard Akintade, Osogbo
