2023 Elections: Group tells CSOs to sensitise public on need for peaceful conduct

A week to the general election, a group under the aegis of the Civil Society Coalition for transparency and good governance has called on civil Society organisations to be at the forefront of sensitising citizens on the need for a peaceful election.

Spokesperson of the group Nse Udoh also stressed the need for the preservation of the country’s democracy at this crucial time.

He said the focus of CSOs at this point should be the dissemination of accurate information to members of the public on issues relating to voting and participation in elections.

“We are at Liberty to support any candidate that we consider good enough for our postulate, for our thinking and for our ideology. But in supporting these candidates, as civil societies who should constitute the enlightened and informed component of society, it will be a category ‘A’ disservice to our democracy to constitute ourselves among those who do anything to endanger peaceful election, endanger the survival of democracy, and danger peace even after the elections itself.”

The group also said it is wrong for military personnel to dabble into governance.

It said, “In growing and deepening our democracy, we must remember that the instrument of information must not be used at the detriment of others. Military personnel are our component members of society. But when military personnel dabble into governance, we say that it is wrong for military to interfere in politics.”

The coalition urged CSOs to continue informing the society on the developmental processes regarding elections or mobilize citizens properly for elections.