NASIEC Boss Eulogies E.U SDGN Over Technical Support   

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Rabiu Omaku 

Nasarawa State Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission, Barrister Wandai Ayuba Usman has applauded the European Union Support for Democracy and Good Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) for according technical support to the state ahead of the October 6, 2021, Local Government Council election.

The electoral umpire disclosed this at the end of a one-day workshop for Journalists on Election Administration, Conflict Management, Media, And Communication.

The Chairman said the technical support accorded NASIEC was in the right direction to proffer solution to violent Local Government Council election.

Wandai buttressed that utmost importance was attached to Journalists, given reasons why he has a press corps working with the Commission.

The Project Coordinator of the EU-SDGN, Mr. Hamza Fassi-Fihri, gave the disclosure on Monday in Lafia at a one-day EU-SDGN training of N.ASIEC staff and Journalists on election administration, conflict management, media and communication would go a long way to boost the capacity of Journalists in the State.

He said NASIEC had requested its support, Adding that the technical support was a request by the State Independent Electoral Commission.

He explained that EU-SDGN believes in the improvement of Local Government elections as they are the closest and easily accessible to grass-root.

Hamza averred that citizens have first platforms of engagement that will facilitate constructive dialogue with their representatives and together they will find solutions to constituents’ immediate needs.

He said the presence of the press in the workshop is key as the meeting offers an opportunity of learning more about activities and coverage of an election and understanding the processes.

 “With this workshop, Journalists would be better informed about the electoral constraints and context of operations, particularly ahead of Nasarawa local government elections,”.

A Journalist, Nura Ado Abdullahi, The Director of News, Radio Nigeria in his contribution, applauded E.U SDGN and the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission for organizing a series of briefings for the press.

Nura who represents the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Nasarawa State Council buttressed that the intermittent interaction with members of the fourth estate of the realm would add credibility and erase doubts by political parties that would participate in the election.

Mr. Abel Daniel of the Guardian Newspaper, who is the Auditor of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the NUJ while answering the question and reacting to a complaint raised by the Chairman of NASIEC over a news item published in Sun saying NASIEC engaged 4,000 ad-hoc staff ahead of October 6 Local Government Council election advised the Chairman to write formally to the leadership of the Chapel.

“Chairman, I will advise you to table this issue before the leadership of the Correspondents’Chapel” He added.

He further advised the electoral umpire to carry all Journalists along instead of being selective in times of coverage of the election.

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