NOA Warns Bauchi Voters Against Apathy

Ahead of the next week’s governorship and state assembly elections, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has advised prospective voters in Bauchi State to shun voter apathy to exercise their franchise.

The Bauchi State director of NOA, Nuru Yusuf Kobi, gave the warning during a sensitisation workshop for traditional, religious, young and civil society organisation leaders in the state.

He explained that the motive for the workshop was to deploy maximum resources to pave way for a peaceful and hitch-free election.

Mr Kobi said the sensitisation became imperative due to some challenges witnessed during the presidential and national assembly elections where voter apathy emerged as a critical stumbling block.

To him, some of the problems, especially from the part of the voters, was due to poor awareness, hence the need to educate community leaders and other social influencers on the implications of certain mistakes on election day for a hitch-free exercise.

The director called on INEC adhoc staff to be at registration area centres (RAC) ahead of time to prevent the mistakes of the previous election.

One of the participants at the workshop, Comrade Evans Ikefe, who represented Resonate Youths Christian and Muslim Society, Bauchi, told LEADERSHIP Sunday that they would take the sensitisation to their followers who will go out for the election.

He also frowned at vote buying and over voting, adding that the assurance of adequate presence of security personnel during the polls has also boosted their confidence to go out to vote in the next election.