Edo Decides: CTA Opens Situation Room, urges Police to rise above expectations

Ahead of the 2024 Edo governorship election, the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), has urged Police authorities to ensures strategic adequate placement of its officers.

Addressing Journalists in Benin city, Edo state, the Executive Director, the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), Faith Nwadishi, said they appreciate Nigeria Police Force for the deployment of 35,000 police officer.

Nwadishi, said,”The Official Opening of the Situation Room of the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) for The Edo State 2024 Gubernatorial Election and Pre-Election Statement.

“The Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), a Nigerian based registered, Non-Governmental, non-partisan and independent organization.

“As part of the institutional mandate and commitment to the observation of the electoral value chain and involvement in election observation in Nigeria is declaring open its Edo 2024 Gubernatorial Election Situation Room.

“In the run up to the 21st September 2024 elections, the CTA in line with its traditional mode of engaging with the electoral process held the following pre-election activities-Stakeholder engagements with critical election stakeholders including INEC, security agencies, political parties, media, civil society organisations, religious leaders, leaders of traditional institutions and professional bodies.”

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Faith Nwadishi added that the recruitment and training of 50 election observers drawn from the 18 local Government Areas of Edo state active involvement and participation in all INEC briefings and consultations with CSOs Media Engagements civic education targeting voters and other election stakeholders.

She said, in addition to the 50 election observers CTA is deploying, the CTA is also deploying 15 election experts including former Resident Electoral Commissioner, Academics and practitioners.

Faith Nwadishi further stressed,”
Security and Logistics While we appreciate the deployment of 35,000 police officials by the Nigeria Police Force, we urge the Police authorities to ensure an even distribution of the deployed men and officials across the urban and rural areas of Edo state.

“We also, call on other security agencies to do same. Also, we call on the Nigeria Police to ensure deployment accountability for the overall integrity of the Nigeria Police.

“We call on the Nigeria police to make proper and needed arrangements for moving their men to their respective duty posts on the election day without relying on the INEC logistics arrangement which in the past has found policemen and other security personnel stranded.

“This makes them to rely on the provisions of partisan politicians which creates opportunity for compromise of security personnel.

“We also call on the Chief of Defence Staff to walk the talk by ensuring that military personnel adhere to the code of conduct of election security as stipulated by Iner-Agency Consultative Committee Framework on Election Security (ICCES) INEC .

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“While confirming from our observation that INEC has kept its promises prior to the election day on logistics by distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials to the Super RACS and RAC, we urge INEC to instruct its ad hoc staff to stick religiously to the 8.30am commencement of the poll especially as this affects the functionality of the BVAS.

” INEC should ensure that its ad hoc personnel deploy assistive devices for persons with disabilities to engender inclusive and participatory election.”

She therefore stated that political parties remain the lifeline of our democratic process and urged all political parties to play by the rules and respect the provisions of all laws including the Electoral Act 2022, INEC Guidelines and the 1999 Constitution as amended.

She posited,”While there is information of voters’ card harvesting by politicians for the purpose of vote buying, we will like to remind politicians that this constitutes an electoral offence punishable by section 121 of the Electoral Act 2022.

“We call on the Anti-graft Agencies to be on ground to perform their duties in this regard. We also call on the political parties not bring to bear inflammatory rhetoric that characterized the campaigns as such may lead to election violence which they will be made accountable for.

“We call on the political parties to ensure the sanctity of the elections.VotersEdo voters should realize that election is a civic duty that democratic consolidation and dividends hinge on.

“We therefore call on the citizens to turnout enmass on the election day to vote for the candidates of their choice without fear of intimidation. More importantly, they should desist and resist the temptation of vote selling to crooked politicians.

“We also implore citizens to report any incident or infractions that may undermine the peaceful outcome of the election to the relevant authorities and CTA Situation Room misinformation and Disinformation she added.