ENSURE A LEVEL PLAYING GROUND IN 2019 GENERAL ELECTION, CSOs, IPAC, MEDIA, OTHERS TELL INEC.

Civil Society Organizations want adequate electoral materials and security provided for the 2019 general election.

They made the recommendation at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Enugu when INEC, the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), the media, Civil Society Organizations and Persons with Disabilities held a crucial meeting.

One of the participants, a former Commissioner for Human Capital Development and Poverty Reduction in Enugu State, Mr. Godwin Ogenyi, said inadequate electoral materials affected the 2015 general election in the state.

The Chairman Nigerian Union of Journalists, Enugu State Chapter, Mr. Rex Arum spoke on the need for transparent conduct of the election while the Deputy Chairman of IPAC, Mr. Chinedu Aniche, encouraged INEC to prevent intimidation of party agents during election.

While addressing the stakeholders, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Enugu State; Mr. Emeka Ononamadu said the commission had compiled the names of candidates for the election while claims and objections were being verified.

Mr. Ononamadu urged the Civil Society Organizations and the media to intensify voter education to enable the masses to participate actively in the elections.

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner said that 16,500,192 (sixteen million, five hundred thousand, one hundred and ninety two) permanent voter’s cards would be printed for the general election.

He pointed out that collection of voter’s cards in Enugu would continue until a week before the general election.

CHUKWUMA EZEOGU