By Gyang Bere, Jos
A group, Yiaga Africa has organised sensitization campaign to educate Nigerians in the North Central geo-political zone to participate actively on constitutional review and electoral reform, to address issues of insecurity, secession and marginalization in different parts of the country.
A Human Rights Activist, Gad Shamaki who facilitated the one-day roundtable programme organized by Yiaga Africa, called on the National Assembly to ensure that issues of insecurity and agitations for secession being advocated by some individuals are addressed in the reviewed constitution.
“Yiaga Africa thought it wise to sensitize people because the National Assembly in it wisdom has heard the cry of Nigerians with the current insecurity and issue of succession and marginalisation that is going on in the country.
“The National Assembly thought it wise to look at the constitution because people have complained and argue that the Constitution itself is the source of the problem and doesn’t address the need of Nigeria, and Yiaga doesn’t want Nigerians to be taken unaware that is why they organise the programme to educate the people.”
Shamaki explained that the roundtable awareness campaign provides citizens the opportunity to identify key issues that require immediate attention for Integration into the constitution.
He said the roundtable programme prepares the people of Plateau and Middle Belt to commence conversations and brainstorming on electoral issues that need to be addressed during the public hearing coming up on Wednesday in Jos.
“The over 50 technocrats, cuting across the academia, media, clergies, civil society, women and youths discussed extensively on issue of local government, youths autonomy, women and people with disabilities in the electoral act for amendment amongst other issues”
He said the roundtable also constituted committee to present a position paper during the public hearing on a document tagged, “Citizens’ top 10 priorities on Electoral Act Amendment”.
Shamaki said among the issues brainstormed includes, “strengthening the financial Independence of the Commission, publication of polling unites level results, protecting the voting rights of the physically challenged, cost of nomination of candidates, electoral offences among others.
A University Don, Santos Larab said the roundtable programme provides Nigerians the opportunity to understand the issues bothering the country for a active participation on the constitution review and the electoral reform.
He said people are expected to point out their observations and suggest solution to a lot of questions being raised on the electoral act.
“Once the Electoral reform is addressed, all other issues will also be addressed for the betterment of Nigeria” he said.
