Gabriel Yomere, the resident electoral commissioner in Cross River, emphasized that Nigerians have the right to vote out underperforming political leaders.
This statement was made during the second quarter consultative meeting of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and civil society organization leaders in Calabar.
Mr. Yomere urged citizens not to accept the notion that every politician deserves to serve two terms regardless of their performance. He criticized the practice of staying indoors during elections after criticizing underperforming politicians, calling it unproductive and irresponsible.
Yomere stated, “After assuming duty as the REC in Cross River in 2022, I went through the records and saw that the 2019 election turnout was extremely poor. I became very worried and decided to do something about it. But after the 2023 election, the outcome remained poor.”
He highlighted the importance of civil society organizations in the electoral process, calling for their support in mobilizing citizens to participate in elections. He announced that the Continuous Voter Registration exercise would soon commence and encouraged these groups to help mobilize residents.
“Civil society organisations are critical stakeholders in the electoral process. They need to work with INEC and security agencies to achieve results,” he added.
Nsikak Ikpeme, chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (Calabar chapter), noted that voter apathy in the 2023 governorship election was due to dissatisfaction with the electoral process.
He urged that INEC should be willing to adopt technology to ensure a credible electoral process, saying, “This will rebuild confidence and trust in the system.”
Abdulkadir Ibrahim, NASFAT commissioner in Cross River, praised INEC for the consultative meeting and suggested such meetings be held more frequently.
Julie Agbor, president of the National Council of Women Society, called for greater involvement of women’s groups in INEC’s activities to enhance grassroots mobilization.
(NAN)
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