CSOs urges Gombe electoral commission to conduct credible polls

A Civil Society Organisation, Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE), has called on the Gombe State Independent Electoral Commission (GOSIEC) to conduct free, fair and credible elections.

General Secretary of ACE, Comrade Mma Odi, stated this during a Press Conference, ahead of the upcoming local government election in the state slated for April 27.

She said the state government should autonomy to the GOSIEC to enable it conduct an acceptable election that would reflect the choice of the electorates.

Comrade Odi also called on the people to come out and exercise their franchise in the council polls, saying without their participation, the exercise would be a futile effort.

• 2015 polls: I refused to release my WAEC to please my traducers — Buhari
• King Charles III spends third day in London hospital

According to her, the ACE-Nigeria had already commenced activities aimed at creating awareness to major stakeholders on the need for the conduct of credible elections.

“The essence of the project is to promote partnership and synergy between the Executive, the Legislature and the citizens in ensuring free, fair, peaceful and credible local government elections and good governance at the local government level,” she said.

The secretary general added that the project has mobilised over 30 key stakeholders and reactivated the project implementation committee, which led to increase in their civic consciousness and engagement with the executive, legislature and other stakeholders.

She stated that the aim was to ensure an enabling environment for credible local government elections that will result in good governance at the local government level.

“The project increased the stakeholders’ knowledge and understanding of key legal reform issues to effectively engage the executive, legislature, the GOSIEC and other stakeholders on Electoral Credibility and Public Trust to ensure free, fair, peaceful and credible local government elections,” Odi added.

Daily Trust reports that the GOSIEC, had two weeks ago announced April 27 as the date for the local government councils’ elections across the 11 LGAs and 114 political wards in the state.