The Affirmative Action Initiative for Women (NCAA) Edo State, has embarked on a voter education exercise on vote buying or selling to major markets in Benin City calling on voters to come out and vote in the forthcoming election and avoid any form of violence.

The network of Non Governmental Organizations working in the area of gender equality was led by Felicia Adodo, executive director of Forum Of Nigerian Women In Politics (FONWIP) on behalf of the state coordinator, Hon. Florence Gbinigie who urged the traders to shun corrupt practices during the elections.

According to her, this activity is a critical component of the implementation of the ” Improving Electoral Integrity and Accountability” project being organized by all the cluster members in the project, which include; Women Advancement Research and Documentation Center (WARDC), Affirmative Action Initiative for Women (NCAA), Gender Technical Unit (GTU), Womanifesto, Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), Gender Constitution Reform Network (GECORN) and supported by MacArthur Foundation.

“The idea is to curb corrupt practices during elections by citizens, inform them of the impacts of vote buying and selling and promoting transparency and accountability in the 2023 elections. The exercise which took place in ten (10) states of the federation was to make citizens take a stand against corrupt practices during elections.

During the voter education exercise, which was part of the activities to mark the International Women’s Day 2023, the market women expressed their anger over the corrupt practices that was reported in the last presidential election, which led to violence and election rigging and they also condemned in strong terms the cashless policy of not being able to get their money from the banks.

“After the exercise, the women who initially threatened not to vote in the next election, promised to come out to vote to avoid voter apathy. We were able to encourage them to be part of the election on the 18th of March in the state as their withdrawal can lead to electing the wrong candidates to govern them,” she added

Other NCAA members who took part in the exercise include representatives of FONWIP, FSFNG, Foundation Builders, Stand up for TEENs, Caring Hearts, and WOCAP.