The FESTAC Deanary of the Justice Peace Development Commission (JPDC), Catholic Church, says it has mobilised its officials ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The commission, with its record in election monitoring and observation in Nigeria, disclosed this at its fatigue and regimentary session in FESTAC, Lagos.
The JPDC, a civil rights and social arm of the church, aside from participation in elections to forestall breakdown of laws, embarks on community works to alleviate crises in society.
The organisation, through donations from members and other individuals, carry out charity to aid indigent members of the society, irrespective of faith denomination.
The commission has been working with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in several elections nationwide, to ensure seamless voting processes in maintaining order, security and crowd control.
Its coordinator, Onyema Onyemakeya, said after the session, meant to rekindle officials’ physical alertness and zeal towards the forthcoming elections, that not less than 500 persons were mobilised for the 2023 general elections.
Mr Onyemakeya added that the members, drawn from parishes that made up the deanery, would undergo routine training before the elections, to enable them to man voting booths in the area.
According to him, the members will train in latent election crisis neutralisation, civil resolution of dispute, crowd control and security.
“As stakeholders in the polity, it will be a disservice for us to stand aloof and allow such a national programme that its outcome affects the lives of the people, to derail,” Mr Onyemakeya stressed. “Our men have proven to be competent overtime, therefore we are ready to contribute our quota to ensure an egalitarian system.”
Also speaking at the event, the resource person for the session, Jude Zinmako, said the organisation would embark on a voter education drive, to complement others whose duty was to enlighten people on the election process.
He commended the federal government for carrying out electoral reforms, saying such systems as immediate electronic result counting, would make the process easier.
(NAN)
