By TUNDE EIGBIREMOLEN
ASABA – The strategies to achieve a peaceful, smooth and violence – free general elections in 2015 have been examined by participants at a one-day workshop organized by Direct Impact Consulting and sponsored by Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Asaba, Delta State.
The workshop held on Tuesday at the Orchid Hotel Limited, DBS Road, GRA, Asaba, drew participants from the Media, Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s), Youth Groups, Women Groups, Political Parties, The Nigerian Police Force and Local Government Councils in Edo and Delta States. It critically reflected on the role of youths, women, Police and all other stakeholders and urged them to cooperate with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure peaceful and orderly election in 2015.
The workshop with the theme: “Citizens Responsibility Towards A Peaceful 2015 General Elections” also discussed the various strategies for resolving conflicts arising from clash of electoral interests and the need to eschew violence.
Unemployment issues were also identified as a key factor that had given rise to youth restiveness and thuggery during elections, just as the need for the media, INEC and other stakeholders not to be partisan was stressed.
Highpoint of the workshop was the group discussions which afforded participants the opportunity to ventilate their views on the need to curb violence in the next general elections in 2015.
