By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA- A non-profit making organisation, Yiaga Africa, and the National Orientation Agency, NOA, on Wednesday, disclosed plans to partner ahead of the 2023 general elections on voter education and the location of polling units.

This was made known by the Board member, Yiaga Africa, Ezenwa Nwagwu, during a visit to the Director General, NOA, Dr. Garba Abari, in Abuja.

Abari explained that there is no gainsaying about the partnership between the two organisations, which he described as a necessity in order to ensure voters are carried along through voter education and other essentials about the electoral process for active and full participation during the election including the location of polling units based on the fact that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had relocated some voters to new polling units.

He said, “Yiaga Africa’s work brings great value to what the NOA is doing.”

According to the NOA boss, only a proper synergy between government agencies and Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, will help to promote credible elections.
He said both NOA and Yiaga Africa should always explore areas of collaboration saying the effort to deepen democracy is for all Nigerians.

He also maintained that the conduct of peaceful and credible elections is for the benefit of all Nigerians.

In his remark, Board member, Ezenwa Nwagwu, commended the effort of the agency in promoting citizens participation in democratic process.

“The intervention of NOA has increased citizens’ patriotic consciousness”, he Nwagwu said.

However he pointed out that consolidating Nigeria’s democracy would not be ‘a tea party’.

He also added that NOA remains an important partner, hence the agency is integral in Yiaga Africa’s partnership drive.

Also speaking during the visit, Yiaga Africa’s Director of Programmes, Cynthia Mbamalu, described Yiaga Africa and NOA’s partnership as crucial, considering this point in time whereby it is needful as it is the mandate of citizens’ enlightenment and voter education.

“Considering the fact that elections are a heated period of divisive campaigns, the NOA plays an important role in inspiring the spirit of National unity”, she said.

According to her, Yiaga Africa has invested in promoting citizens’ oversight in the electoral process through the deployment of statistics and technology, saying the impact of fake news is dangerous in the electoral process.

“On Election Day, Yiaga Africa’s WatchingTheVote will deploy the Parallel Vote Tabulation methodology to provide accurate and timely information in the electoral process saying the organization has been observing the pre-election environment since November 2022 while providing information on the activities of election stakeholders like the National Orientation Agency and the electoral commission” she added.