The Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL), a DFID funded program in Nigeria has engaged stakeholders in Borno State to discuss the electoral processes ahead of the 2019 general elections in the country.The meeting which was held at Barwee Luxury Suites in Maiduguri had in attendance representatives of the media, Civil Society Organization, National Orientation Agency (NOA), State House of Assembly, religious and faith based organization, private sector, service delivery partners among others.The co-chair of the meeting Prof. Danjuma Gambo at the plenary together with the participants brainstormed on issues arising from the conduct of elections both before during and after the process in the state.The sessions tried to asked questions which have direct impact on the electoral process and the role of the various stakeholders in affecting the process.Some of the important questions raised include; how are the constituencies currently engaging the electoral process', how well are they working together and to what degree are they influential in the electoral process'Other issues also discussed included the possible electoral and post electoral outcomes in the state, which of the outcomes are most likely to occur, what are the possible opportunities in terms of issues, actors and platforms that patterns can engage pre and post elections and what are the potential risks and dangers and how they could be mitigated in the state.The co-chair, Prof. Danjuma Gambo at the end of the deliberation submitted that all stakeholders need to work hard in the state on the electoral process especially the pre-election time so as to mitigate the potential dangers ahead of the election.Going by the discussions that we have head hear, there is more work to be done concerning citizens engagement in the electoral process in Borno State. It is therefore very important that all stakeholders in this hall must agree to step of their game for a more constructive engagement of the citizen on electoral processes in the state especially the pre-election time so that the expected outcomes will be favorable to all, Prof Gambo said.The Northeast Regional Team Leader for PERL/ECPMrs Elizabeth Sara observed that citizen must be educated to de-emphasis on making personal demands from politicians but rather demand for communitydevelopment forthe welfare of thegenerality of everyone.We must try to stop this trend of people going to politicians to make personal requests such as assistance for naming ceremony, assistance to marry. In order to drive development, person should approach politicians with community issues that affects everyone in that community so that such development if carried out will change the lives of the entire people in the community instead of one individual, Mrs Sara observed.Ms Ase Taide, the Northeast partnership facilitator for PERL while explaining the objectives of the meeting said, the timing is very important and we cannot wait until election time to engage citizens on their right.The Borno State Director of National Orientation Agency Yaya Imam informed that his agency been carrying out sensitization campaign across the state by engaging with relevant stakeholders like INEC, Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), the media etc.He called on all stakeholders especially the CSOs to sit up to their responsibility of sensitizing the people in order to have a free and fair election come 2019.The post 2019: PERL engages Borno Stakeholders on electoral processes appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.
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