The Civil Society Election Situation Room announces the opening of the Situation Room to observe the 2013 governorship election holding on Saturday, November 16th 2013 in Anambra State. The Situation Room will comprise more than forty civil society organisations who have deployed observers across the entire local government areas of Anambra State. Observers will visit polling units, observe voting and report on the activities and conduct of election stakeholders, including election officials, security services and the political parties.
The Anambra governorship election provides an opportunity for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to show its ability to conduct free and fair elections with just about one year to go to the next general elections. INEC needs to address several of the concerns expressed by election observers and civil society groups about its conduct of elections in Nigeria.
The Civil Society Election Situation Room commends INEC for publishing information on the Voters’ Register to be used for the governorship election and calls on INEC to ensure that the said Voters’ Register indeed reflects and captures the names of persons to vote at the election. The Civil Society Election Situation Room is however concerned that INEC has issued a statement imposing a twenty-two hour curfew across the state ahead of the elections. We would like to point out that free movement and access to polling units by voters is an imperative for free and fair elections and we call on INEC to relax this restriction.
The Civil Society Election Situation Room calls on the security agencies to maintain non partisanship in carrying out its responsibilities and refrain from intimidating, harassing and infringing on the rights of citizens during the elections.
The Civil Society Election Situation Room also calls on the people of Anambra State to come out and freely exercise their rights to vote and elect the candidate of their choice for the position of governor of the state.
Clement Nwankwo
Nigeria Civil Society Election Situation Room
2 Okemesi Crescent, Off Oro-ago Crescent,
Garki II,
Abuja, Nigeria.
Tel: +234(0)809 189 9999
Email: electionsituationroom@placng.org
Website: http://electionsituationroom.wordpress.com/