Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) yesterday said the quest for better electoral participation should be matched with a drive to improve voter education.
LASIEC Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olayiwole Onasanya, made this remark at the opening ceremony of LASIEC Voter Education needs assessment and capacity building workshop facilitated by the International Foundation for Electoral System (IFES) in Lagos.
Onasanya said a strategic plan that makes voter education mandatory for citizens from childhood will be beneficial for the electoral process in Nigeria.
“Yes, primary school students don’t vote but by the time you educate them from their youth, they will know that it’s very necessary that they vote. I think one of our major objectives and which is a strategic plan is to increase voters awareness as whereas to ensure that people who have not yet register are registered at least people from the age of 18,” Onasanya said
While advocating the acronym RCV for Register, Collect your voters’ card and Vote, Onasanya urged persons of 18 years and above not to stop at registering for their permanent voters’ cards but to ensure they collect it and vote on election day.
He said the workshop was organised to review and strengthen the Civic/Voter Education drive of the commission, to also get insight into how voter education could be effectively carried out to drive political consciousness and participation.
IFES Deputy Country Manager Obaje Ukeh said the conduct of a successful election in any part of the world rests on proper information of the public.
“The more that people are aware the more they will be able to make informed choices so as a result of that we are partnering with LASIEC to ensure that voter education in Lagos State and for Local government elections are properly done and effectively done that will ensure increase participation of the public in Lagos State,” Ukeh said.