Ahead of the General Elections slated for February 25th and March 11th, 2023, a non-governmental organisation in Osun State, Future Builders Initiative (FBI), has commenced activities for voters education and sensitization campaign in a bid to increase voters participation and peaceful electoral process.
According to the organisation, the voters education project tagged, #BeADecider Campaign, which will partner with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Civil Society Organisations, youth groups, religious leaders, community stakeholders and the media, aims to provide citizens with information needed to actively participate in elections.aa
The #BeADecider Campaign is youth-led and citizens-focused voters education and sensitization initiative geared towards increasing peaceful electoral participation, through data-driven engagement, youth re-orientation, and community mobilization.
Speaking to journalists at a media briefing on Friday, the Team Lead of the Project and the Executive Director of the organisation, Mr. Opeyemi Oladimeji, said the project will also address general gaps in voter education, and equip electorates, particularly the youths on the need to the part of the electoral and governance processes in their localities.
Mr Oladimeji also said the campaign will extend the advocacy to tertiary institutions, religious organizations, grassroot communities, markets, motor parks and youth events in the State, in a bid to further amplify the message of democratic inclusiveness and participation.
According to him, the campaign aims to foster a sense of trust in the electoral process and to create a vibrant civil society that engages in democratic development.
“The voters education programme exercise targets Nigerian citizens particularly youths of Osun State, providing them with the knowledge and information they need to actively participate in elections, foster a sense of trust in INEC and the electoral process, encourage them to peacefully engage in the governance processes of the country” he said.
“The campaign contributes to creating a vibrant civil society that engages actively in democratic development and supports the leading role of INEC in electoral administration.”
“We call on every well meaning Nigerian to join us, most especially the political parties, communities stakeholders, and other youth organisations to achieve our vision and objectives to promote democratic processes in Nigeria,” he added.
The #BeADecider Campaign is implemented with the support from the Nigeria Youth Future Funds (NYFF) of the LEAP Africa, which is co-funded by the Ford Foundation and MarArthur Foundation.
