The
European union through its Support to Democratic Governance (EU-SDGN) Programme
has trained 100 female election observers ahead of
the Ekiti State governorship election, as preparations
intensify for the poll.
The
training, organised in Ado-Ekiti by the Nigerian Women Trust Fund under
the programme commenced on Thursday, brought together participants selected to
serve as election observers with a focus on gender-sensitive
monitoring during the election period.
The
initiative, supported under EU-SDGN, is aimed at strengthening
credible electoral monitoring, improving transparency, and promoting
peaceful democratic participation.
The
two-day programme equipped participants with skills
in election observation, conflict monitoring and the use of digital
tools for electoral reporting.
Facilitators
emphasised the importance of objective monitoring, accurate documentation and
timely reporting of electoral activities, noting that observers play
a key role in safeguarding electoral integrity.
A key
session on election observation was led by Programmes Officer of the
Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Malliya Manu, who took participants through the
ethics, responsibilities and procedures guiding observation before, during and
after elections.
She
stressed the need for neutrality, credibility and strict adherence
to electoral laws while carrying out duties at polling units and
collation centres.
Speaking
to journalists during the training, Manu said the EU-SDGN-supported initiative
was designed to strengthen gender-sensitive election observation
across Ekiti State.
“Their
job after this training is to basically observe gender equality in the
distribution of electoral officers, security agencies, and other
relevant stakeholders on election day,” she said.
She
added that participants were drawn from existing and new networks across the 16
local government areas of the state.
“Some
of them will be registered with INEC, depending on the slot we are getting,
while a few others will work with us during courtesy visits to security
operatives as we monitor preparations for the election and identify
possible concerns affecting women,” she added.
Participants
were also trained on the Gender and Election Watch (G.E.W.) App, a
digital platform used for real-time reporting and documentation of incidents
during elections.
The
session included guidance on registration, testing and use of the application,
including how to upload reports and track incidents.
Facilitators
noted that the use of digital tools such as the G.E.W. App, under EU-SDGN
support, would improve response times, strengthen monitoring processes and help
prevent electoral violence and irregularities.
During
a Monitoring and Evaluation session, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Isi
Okiemute highlighted the need for accountability, accurate reporting and proper
documentation throughout the observation process.
The
training also included interactive discussions, experience-sharing and
practical demonstrations aimed at preparing participants to
identify electoral infractions and support peaceful conduct during
the election.
Organisers
expressed confidence that the training would
strengthen electoral transparency, increase public trust and support
peaceful democratic participation in the
forthcoming Ekiti governorship election.
