INEC, IDS Hold Electoral Accountability Forum

The Institute for Development Studies (IDS), University of Nigeria, Enugu campus, is collaborating with INEC for an accountability forum for communities and party candidates.

Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, the facilitator and research fellow, told newsmen in Abakaliki on Sunday that the forum was designed to constructively connect party flag bearers and the public in selected communities.

He said that the programme would focus on those aspiring for positions in the state houses of assembly and the House of Representatives in the South East.

Orji explained that the project has both voter education and electoral accountability components.

“With regards to voter education, the project will enable community members to know the programmes of the candidates seeking to represent them.

“Regarding electoral accountability, it will give members of the selected communities the opportunity to evaluate and make inputs into the programmes of party flag bearers in their constituencies.

“And based on this, a strategy is developed through which they can demand accountability from the candidates,” he said.

The forum facilitator added that the interactive session would come up in two stages; consultative meeting and a town hall meeting.

He noted that IDS would gather stakeholders such as traditional rulers, religious leaders, women leaders, youth leaders, heads of town unions and villagers to get aggregate and articulate their needs and transmit same to state assembly candidates.

On the other hand, the candidates would make a presentation to their constituents, addressing their needs.

“After the presentations by the candidates, members of the constituency would be allowed to comment and make inputs into the programmes of the party flag bearers,” he said