By Michael Nnebife
The Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), a domestic elections observer group, has trained its field observers to prepare and equip them with the fundamental strategies and information that will enable them to discharge their duty effectively for the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.
Speaking while addressing the trainees and the participants, the Executive Director of CTA, Faith Nwadishi, said the training is to ensure that the observers are educated on the rules and regulations, code of conducts of observers, INEC guidelines for the election and other necessary information that will enable them to discharge their duty professionally.
The CTA boss reminded the observers that their participation in the election in a capacity as an observer is a service to the fatherland for sustenance of the nation's democracy and enjoined them to be law-abiding, and avoid any behaviour that may expose them to attack, or dent the image of the group and their person as a good citizen of the state.
Describing the electorate in Anambra as the chief executive officers of the state, Nwadishi enjoined the legible voters to come out en masse on November 6 to use their votes to hire a person who will manage the state's resources in next four years even as she appealed to the politicians to shun any act capable of heating up the polity and maintain a high sense of decorum during and after the election.
She thanked the partnering groups and agencies, especially National Orientation Agency, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, for their collaboration, as well as the members of CTA, for not succumbing to the fear surrounding the electoral period.
Nwadishi (left) and some of the participants giving a pledge of allegiance during the exercise
Also, Ugochi Ehiahuruike of the Clean Foundation, taking the trainees on the overview of election observation and various strategies they will employ to discharge their duty professionally, urged them never to involve, or interfere in any role of the poll officials, reminding them that their job is only to observe occurrences within the poll units and report the same objectively to the CTA.
While advising the trainees to be vigilant and security conscious, she identified Onitsha North and South, Nnewi North and South, Idemili North and South, Aguata, Orumba North and South and Ihiala Local Government Areas as security flashpoints in Anambra State.
Some of the trainees and participants, Dr Dennis Ekemezie and the Administrative Secretary to the Anambra State Traditional Rulers' Council, Prince Donatus Orjika, who spoke to the press, expressed satisfaction with the exercise, describing it as a critical aspect of an engagement that will surely help them to carry out their assignment effectively and thanked CTA for giving them an opportunity to serve the state through its platform and the Independent National Electoral Commission for coordinating the exercise in a manner that will help the entire election observers in the election to carry out an objective observation.
The highlights of the exercise, which was held at Funsurge Hotels, Awka, include taking and signing of pledge of allegiance by the trainees.
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