INEC set to introduce Voter Education Clubs in 3,347 public colleges

[MrVan]

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday said it would introduce Voter Education Clubs in 3,347 selected public secondary schools in the country.

Mr Adedeji Soyebi, National Electoral Commissioner, South-West Zone, disclosed this in Lagos at a seminar on voter education for public secondary schools in the South-West Zone.

The one-day seminar, which held at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), had as its theme: "Catching them Young for Democratic Governance" and was jointly organised by INEC and the university's Centre for Social Research and Public Policy.

Soyebi said that 633 public schools from the South-West zone, comprising Lagos, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Oyo and Ogun, would be part of the project.

"The essence of taking this voter education down to the grassroots is because 80 per cent to 90 per cent of the ages of these students fall within the eligible ages for electoral processes, as stipulated in the country's constitution.

"As a commission, we try to ensure that we consolidate on the gains of democracy, especially at the level of the electoral process," he said.

He also said there was need for continuous enlightenment and education if the nation intended to succeed in its quest for sustained democracy.

"The earlier these children know how issues surrounding the rights of voters and the electoral process are being handled, the better for us all," he said.

He implored school principals, state branches of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in the zone and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to ensure effective dissemination and sensitisation of the programme.(NAN)

Vanguard Nigeria