ActionAid Nigeria tasks security agencies, politicians on peaceful, transparent Enugu LG elections

ActionAid Nigeria has called on electoral authorities, security agencies, political parties and voters to uphold transparency, neutrality and peaceful participation as Enugu state prepares for its Local Government Area (LGA) elections.

The Country Director (CD) of ActionAid Nigeria, Dr Andrew Mamedu, in a statement issued on Saturday said it had deployed observers across the state in partnership with the South Saharan Development Organisation (SSDO) and the Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) to monitor the election and receive reports from LGAs and wards.

He said the first statewide polls in Enugu ahead of the 2027 general elections, presented an opportunity to strengthened public confidence in the electoral process and local governance.

Mamedu identified security concerns, particularly in rural communities and along intra-LGA routes, as areas requiring close attention.

The CD expressed concerns over l⁰ow public awareness of the election across the state.

He said the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) had reported 90 percent operational readiness, including plans to move non-sensitive election materials ahead of election day to council headquarters.

He said its observers would monitor key aspects of the process, including voter participation, the conduct of security personnel, deployment of election materials and personnel, timely opening of polling units, priority voting and accessibility for persons with disabilities, the preparedness of ad hoc election staff, vote trading and the transparency of the collation process.

He said 11 political parties were screened to participate in the election, with contests scheduled across 17 LGAs and 260 councillorship positions.

He urged political parties and candidates to encourage their supporters to reject violence, intimidation and other forms of electoral misconduct and to respect the rights of voters, opponents and election officials.

Mamedu called on the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to act impartially and enforce the law based on credible evidence rather than political affiliation.

He also urged security agencies to provide adequate protection in remote and rural communities while ensuring that security deployment remains proportionate and intelligence-led.

Mamedu cautioned against excessive militarisation of the electoral environment, saying security personnel should focus on protecting voters, officials and electoral materials and preventing violence and intimidation.

“ActionAid further calls on ENSIEC to improve timely public communication, particularly concerning the movement of election materials, security-related contingencies, affected polling locations and any changes to electoral arrangements.

“Any adjustments necessitated by security concerns should follow clear and publicly communicated criteria and established procedures,” he said.

Mamedu urged to participate peacefully

ActionAid encouraged Enugu residents to participate in the election and peacefully vote for candidates of their choice.