NDI, Yiaga Africa Host Global PVT Academy to Enhance Electoral Integrity
- Civil society groups across the world recently converged in Abuja for the Global Parallel Vote Tabulation Academy
- The organizers, National Democratic Institute (NDI) and Yiaga Africa said the academy was staged to sensitise CSOs on electoral integrity
- Participants from Zimbabwe, Tunisia, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, United States, Cambodia, and Armenia, amongst others were all present at the academy
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FCT, Abuja - The National Democratic Institute (NDI) in partnership with Yiaga Africa hosted representatives of fifteen (15) countries at the Global Parallel Vote Tabulation Academy to enhance the integrity of the election day process through citizen observation.
According to a statement made available to Legit.ng on Friday, June 24, the academy was held from Tuesday, June 21 to Thursday, June 23.
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The programme provided a platform for member countries implementing the PVT to share experience and chart pathways to improving the role of systematic election observation in improving electoral integrity.
CSOs the only hope for democracy - Samson Itodo
Speaking during the programme, the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo urged participants to reflect on the state of democracy across the world while situating the PVT in the context.
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He decried the gradual loss of faith in democracy saying the hope of democracy lies on the shoulders of Civil Society Organisations across the world.
Itodo charged member countries to raise the electoral integrity index of their respective nations through the Parallel Vote Tabulation election observation methodology.
He said:
“Your task is to increase the electoral integrity quotient of your countries”. “Election observation is a risky and thankless job and so be prepared to called names but don’t be discouraged because this is borne-out of the patriotic zeal you all have for your countries.
"You carry the burden of your country on your shoulder, you bear the burden in the cause of your deployment of the PVT”. He said, the burden will make the citizens have hope that their rights will be protected.
“In the course of your observation, you will build power and become a reference point. Information is power and you may have information that nobody else has, thus what you do with such power will determine your sustainability in this sector."
It was gathered that the PVT academy exposed participants to various tactics of election observer recruitment, polling unit sampling, data analysis amongst other rudiments of the systematic election observation methodology.
Participants also dissected issues around plans and strategic communications to enhance better understanding of the PVT.
Participants who mainly represented countries like Zimbabwe, Tunisia, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, United States, Cambodia, Armenia, Senegal, amongst others were urged to build partnership that empowers community, inspires a generation and the people while fostering and building solidarity.
2023 election: Allegations of extortion in CVR Centers by INEC officials emerge
In another development, Yiaga Africa calls on the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the CVR exercise by three weeks.
It also called for investigation of allegations of bribery and non-deployment of personnel in some Registration Centers.
Commends INEC for deploying additional 209 machines to Kano, Lagos, and five states in the Southeast.
Source: Legit.ng
