Federal Govt To Begin Sensitisation Against Electoral Violence  

As part of the effort to ensure free and fair elections, the federal government has said it will start a door-to-door campaign on sensitizing voters on violence-free elections, insisting that the forthcoming general election is not a do-or-die matter.

National coordinator and chief executive of the African Union Development Agency – NEPAD, Princess Gloria Akobundu who was represented by Hakeem Akande, the agency’s head of Planning, Research Statistics, made the disclosure yesterday at an Evaluation Of The First Ten Year Implementation Plan and the Formulation of the Successor Plan.

According to him, advocacy is necessary as the election is now becoming an issue-based campaign where citizens vote for who they deem fit.

Hakeem, who disclosed that part of the objective of the gathering is to strengthen actions in accelerating development and good governance, noted that the consultation is necessitated by the expiration of the first-year implementation plan from 2013-2023 and the need to draw up the second Ten Year Implementation Plan which will commence from 2023 and expire in 2033.

He further noted that indications show that the continent is waking up to its reality in terms of wealth creation, reformation of livelihood, capacities, and environmental sustainability among others.

“National Multi-Stakeholder Consultation on the evaluation of the first ten-year implementation plan and the formulation of the successor plan of Agenda 2063, is necessitated by the expiration of the first year implementation plan from 2013-2023 and the need to draw up the second ten-year implementation plan which will commence from 2023  and expire in 2033.

“The consultation, therefore, is one of the tools for assessing and reporting on the implementations of Agenda 2063 specifics by member states. It is pertinent to note that, the Continental Developmental guide (Agenda 2063) which was adopted, in January  2015 at the 24th African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia aimed at strengthening actions in accelerating development and good governance.

“The First Ten Year Implementation Plan (FYIP) was adopted covering seven aspirations, 20 Goals, 13 fast-track projects, 39 priority areas, 255 targets of the Agenda 2063, wherefore, the tracking, monitoring, and implementation of the Agenda are beaconed it.

“The first and second continental report was launched in 2020 and 2022 respectively with aggregated success of  31 member States counting for  32 percent in 2020 and 38 member states counting 51 percent in 2022. The Second continental report, however, indicates that the continent is waking up to its reality in terms of wealth creation, reformation of livelihood, capacities, and environmental sustainability among others.

“It is, therefore, expected that this crucial Technical engagement will deliver on its objective and its outcome represents Nigeria’s contribution towards the formulation of the Second Ten Year Implementation plan as expected by other member states. It is worthy of note that Nigeria has remarkably and exceptionally recommended for its innovative contribution towards effective implementation of Agenda 2063,” he said.