The African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for African Development, (AUDA-NEPAD), has said that vote-buying and other forms of electoral manipulations could result in electoral violence.
The AUDA-NEPAD/African Peer Review Mechanism National Coordinator/CEO, Princess Gloria Akobundu, stated this while briefing newsmen in Abuja.
She said on 7th February, 2023 President Muhammadu Buhari, launched the Second Review Report of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Flag-off the Zonal Sensitization and Stakeholders Engagement on effective implementation of the national Programme of Action (NPoA) which led to the Kick-off of the Nationwide Violence Free Election Campaign to usher in a free and fair General election.
Akobundu said the AUDA-NEPAD had began campaign across the country to sensitise electorates on the dangers of electoral violence and the need to adhere to the instructions of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Akobundu stressed that electoral violence has been a re-occurring problem and threat to achieving democracy and good governance in Nigeria and Africa at large.
This challenge, according to her, is inimical to democracy and efforts must be made to combat it.
She further stated that the AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria kicked-off the Violence Free Election Sensitization Campaign in Bauchi, Lagos and Abuja in line with the early warning mechanism and silencing the gun for a credible, free and fair General election devoid of violence and related causalities to bequeath to the nation a peaceful transition from one government to another.
