Election Monitoring Training Workshop for COFP Observers
Following the accreditation of the Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace (COFP) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to observe the 2023 general elections in Nigeria, the Foundation organized a training workshop with the sole purpose of equipping about 100 Fellows of the COFP Fellowship program with basic knowledge and tools needed to aid them embark on the election monitoring process from 20-21 February, 2023 at De Silver Green Hotel Abuja, Nigeria.
The major facilitators of this training program were; Mrs. Anthonia Onda, who is the Senior program officer of the Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA Africa) and Mrs. Nkechi Abu who is the Deputy Director, Election Monitoring and Observation, INEC. Mrs Anthonia delivered well packaged training on election procedure and observation, stating what to expect, what to come along with, what observers should look out for and what they should do if the statutory election procedure is tampered with while Mrs. Nkechi’s presentation focused on the roles and responsibilities of an Election Observer, the essential issues in election observation, does/don’ts of election observation and the key elements of INEC Regulations and Processes for election observation. It was such a joy to know that everyone who had been part of the workshop was more enlightened and a lot more enthusiastic to actively engage in the 2023 election monitoring and observation exercise.
