*Says It Will Aid Voters To Make Informed Choices At Elections*
BY ADANNA OBI, ENUGU
A Civil rights group, Advocates For Societal Rebirth and Good Governance, ASRG, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to print the pictures of candidates, alongside the names of their political parties, on the ballot paper for the 2023 General Elections.
In a statement in Enugu signed by Ferdinand Ogwo, Coordinator of the group and made available to INNONEWS, the group said photographs of the candidates on the ballot paper will enable voters make informed choices during elections.
ASRG stated that INEC, as part of measures to improve the nation’s electoral process, “should go a step further to enhance the process, by including the pictures of candidates on the ballot paper”
“This will mark a turning point in the electoral process and improve the quality of our elections. Voters must be encouraged to clearly see those they are casting their votes for.
“This will deepen the nation’s democratic process and give voters, particularly those in the rural areas, the opportunity to vote right- in other words, vote for those, they are convinced about their aspiration” part of the statement stated.
The ASRG, said INEC should also build on the successes recorded in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun governorship elections by “complimenting the introduction of BIVAS, with the inclusion of photographs of candidates on the ballot paper”
“We recall in 2007, the then INEC Chairman, Prof Maurice Iwu, had told a delegation from European Union, EU, that there was need to print pictures of all the candidates on the ballot paper to identify candidates of their choice
“Prof Iwu’s promise was not fulfilled by INEC. However, we call on the Mahmoud Yakubu led INEC to implement the recommendations of his predecessor, which will go a long way to improve significantly the quality and credibility of the 2023 elections” the group stated.