The National Orientation Agency and the Bauchi State government have strengthened their partnership through capacity building for community mobilisation officers (CMOs) to promote good governance and strengthen democracy.
The one-day capacity-building training held in Bauchi on ‘Voter Registration and Restoration of Voter Confidence’ was organised by NOA, the Bauchi Directorate and the state Ministry of Information.
Speaking at the event, the director-general of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Onilu, urged Nigerians to actively participate in the electoral process to strengthen democracy and promote good governance.
Mr Issa-Onilu, who was represented by the NOA zonal director, Nuru Kobi, said democracy works best when citizens understand their rights, know the electoral process and participate actively in elections.
“Elections are not only about politicians; they are about the future of every community and every citizen,” he said.
The DG explained that voter education also involved helping citizens understand voter registration processes, describing the permanent voter card (PVC) as more than an identification document but a symbol of participation in governance.
“Some believe that elections are only for politicians. This is a misconception because elections determine the quality of leadership and governance.
“Strong democracies are built on voter education, transparency, civic engagement and public trust. Misinformation and fake news have continued to discourage citizens from participating in elections,” he said.
Mr Issa-Onilu urged Nigerians to verify information before sharing it, warning that false messages on social media could create confusion and tension within a short time.
“Voter educators and democracy ambassadors must become trusted sources of accurate information,” he said.He also urged the youths to become ambassadors of peace and national unity, noting that elections should never be viewed as warfare.
According to him, organisations across the country are promoting voter education through grassroots mobilisation, community dialogues, media advocacy, school outreach programmes and youth engagement initiatives.
He said that the goal was to build responsible citizens who understand that democracy was not only about elections but also about accountability and active participation in governance.
“As ambassadors of democracy, you have an important role to play.“Speak with passion, engage with honesty, encourage peaceful participation and help build public confidence in democratic institutions,” Mr Issa-Onilu said.
Earlier, the state director of NOA, Nasiru Mahe, said the workshop was organised as a train-the-trainers programme for community mobilisation officers across the 20 local government councils.
Mr Mahe said the officers were expected to step down from the training at ward levels and create awareness of the ongoing continuous voter registration exercise, which commenced on May 11.
He said that the training was aimed at exposing participants to new ideas, experience sharing and strategies to mobilise people to take advantage of the ongoing voter registration exercise.
Also speaking, Aliyu Hassan, head of voter education and publicity of INEC, Bauchi office, urged the citizens to register to become eligible voters.
He said INEC had recorded tremendous achievements in voter registration in recent times, adding that officials had been deployed to 212 registration areas to ensure continuous voter registration across the state.He encouraged residents to register and obtain their PVCs to strengthen democracy in Nigeria.
The Bauchi State commissioner for information and communication, Usman Shehu, emphasised the importance of voter education in deepening democratic participation.
Represented by Umar Shira, managing director, Bauchi Radio Corporation, the commissioner assured NOA of sustained partnership in creating awareness and mobilising residents on national issues.
He expressed concern over what he called voter apathy, adding that the state government was monitoring the ongoing voter registration exercise across the state.
Mr Shehu expressed concern that Bauchi State was still lagging behind in the current voter registration exercise.
He called on stakeholders and citizens to come out, register and vote in the forthcoming elections. (NAN)
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