NSCDC Holds Town Hall Meeting on Violent Free Polls in Plateau
Barely a week to the general elections and in its efforts to ensure hitch free polls, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has organised a town hall meeting for stakeholders on benefitof violence free elections in Nigeria.
The town hall meeting held in Jos, Friday, was in partnership with a German based NGO, Konrad Adenauer Shiftung.
In his opening remarks, the Commandant-General of the Corps, Dr Ade Abolurin, said the town hall meeting was timely.
The Commandant-General who was represented by the Assistant Commandant-General of the Corps, Madu Hilary, said the rationale behind the meeting was to educate key stakeholders who wilk in turntranfer the information to the people at the grassroots on the need to have non-violent, free and credible elections in the country.
He explained that the main pre-condition for freedom is peace, and so, the major target of NSCDC is to ensure that peaceful elections are held come February, 14th and 28th respectively.
”As you all know, the major concern of NSCDC is to ensure there is peace everywhere, during and after the elections.
”Political violence is a threat to national development. It is a threat to building a strong and virile Nigeria.
”It does not matter who wins the elections, but our main concern is that, we are not ready to loose a single life because of this election”, he said.
He assured prospective voters of adequate security presence at various polling units, and added that the personnel of the corps would be there to protect the people and the ballot boxes.
Hilary also alleys the fear of people becoming intimidated as a result of the heavy security men that would deployed to various polling centres, as they would be there to give confidence to the electorates.
He also assured that the NSCDC as well as other security agencies would remain non-partisan and would maintain neutrality.
Speaking earlier, Mr Samson Adenorun, who represented the country representative of the NGO in Nigeria, said the NGO has been advocating for a violent free elections since its inception the country.
He said the rationale is to ensure people imbibe the culture of trust on their representatives, as that could be a catalyst towards achieving a peace during and after elections.
He added that the town hall meeting was targeted at creating awareness on the need for elected representatives to make it a point of duty to regularly return to the electorate to get them well informed on the policies of government, as that will to a greater extend reduce rancour.
Some of the stakeholders at the meeting include, traditional rulers, religious leaders, youths, women, INEC, security agents, among others.