Say No To Vote Buying: Kaduna Residents Encouraged To Stand Firm

Say No To Vote Buying: Kaduna Residents Encouraged To Stand FirmAs residents of Kaduna prepare to vote for Local Government Chairmen across the state’s 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs), the Gender Awareness Trust (GAT) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) are urging voters to reject the temptation to sell their votes.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

At a recent press conference, GAT’s Executive Director, Dr. Lydia Umar, emphasized that candidates who purchase votes are likely to seek to reclaim their investment once in office. She called on voters to safeguard their ballots, urging them to cooperate with security personnel to prevent ballot box theft and to ensure that vote counting occurs at the Ward level.

Dr. Umar highlighted the concerning lack of female representation in politics, stating, “Despite women and youth comprising over 67% of voters in general elections and more than 80% in LGA elections, they have only secured about 3% of elected positions since the onset of democracy in 2019.”

She noted that while women hold approximately equal representation in appointive positions, systemic, cultural, and violent barriers continue to hinder their political participation. GAT and IFES are actively working to change this narrative.

The organizations encouraged voters to prepare their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and to ensure a peaceful election by maintaining order and giving priority to the elderly, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and individuals with disabilities.

They stressed the need for a free, fair, and peaceful election, urging voters to protect their ballots and assist security forces in maintaining order.

GAT and IFES also called on Election Officers to conduct themselves with professionalism and integrity and encouraged media outlets to report sensitively to avoid escalating conflict. Finally, they appealed to all voters—both men and women—to support female candidates and help increase women’s representation in local governance.

For more information on this article and other related posts from Bushradiogist, please join our WhatsApp channel by clicking this link https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaUumOODTkK7AZL1Fw3o. For advertisement inquiries only, kindly send a message to 090 1907 0863 on WhatsApp.