The United States of America (USA) government has bankrolled the programmes of some American pro-democracy groups for the purpose of monitoring the 2007 Nigerian polls, the Country Director of the National Democratic Institute, Dr. Keith Jennings has disclosed.
Jennings at the University of Ibadan weekend said the whole world has shifted attention to the polls, explaining, �what you people do with the election will have effect on all other parts of the world�.
Jennings as guest speaker of the University Town Hall Meeting organized by the Department of Political Science on the premier university, stressed that the polls hold a lot of significance for the continent. �that is the reason the election is generating a lot of attention domestically and internationally.
The NDI director stated that the international hype in the election is generated by the fact that the 2007 elections will be the third since Nigeria�s transition from military rule in 1999; �this will also be the first time in the country�s history that a democratically elected government has served two full terms without interruption by the military, and is poised to oversee another set of national elections.�
The polls, Jennings stated, has marked Nigeria, Africa�s most populous nation, to be on the crossroads once again, pointing out that the election will provide the country with an opportunity to further consolidate its nascent democracy.
However for the polls to be credible, the US activist called on artisans, professionals and the elites to come out and participate fully in the processes of electing the next leaders of the country.
The NDI boss however was concerned by the absence of broad awareness among citizens about the rules of the game in an environment where elections could be held as early as March 2007, �your elections is just six months from now, and yet there aren�t anything to suggest that the people have been sufficiently educated and informed on the polls.
�The forthcoming election represents an opportunity for the people of the country to improve on the nation�s international image and turn around the fortune of the country and chart a new course for the development of Nigeria�.
On its part, he said that a delegation of the group has met with select public and elected office holders with a view to stress the need for a crisis free election and to carry all Nigerians along in the democratic process.
According to him, the delegation held an intensive series of meetings with political and civic leaders, government officials and others concerned with Nigeria�s electoral and political processes while delegation members met with leaders from the ruling and opposition parties.
The delegation also met with the Chairman and Resident Electoral Commissioners of the Independent National Election Commission (INEC), including its Chairman; members of the National Assembly, including the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Electoral Matters.
Jennings identified insecurity and poverty as two serious issues that could threaten the forthcoming voters registration exercise and urged the leadership in the country to assuage the feelings of the masses on the two issues.
He however expressed regret that Nigerians are finding it difficult to trust the chairman of INEC, Prof. Maurice Iwu, affirming that with the delegation various interactions with Iwu, it has been discovered that the electoral body meant well for the country.
The NDI boss hinted that the institute has arranged many townhall meetings where other stakeholders on the election would be sensitized on the polls to ensure that the polls receive more support from Nigerians than in the previous polls.
To the masses he said, �play your roles in this electoral process. Your role can make a difference. It is your duty to do something to make the best out of the process.�
Oct232006