The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has embarked on a nationwide sensitization and education of voters on the proper ways of casting votes in order to reduce the number of void votes during collation.
At a press conference in Abuja, yesterday the NOA director general, Garba Abari, said the agency was flagging off the sensitization in all the 774 local governments across the country by mobilizing its staff fully in the 36 states of the federation
He decried the high number of void votes had frustrated some voters in the past which has led to voter apathy where voters believe their votes didn’t count hence the need for the agency to carry out the campaigns on three critical issues.
“The sensitization campaign focusing on reducing the challenge of voided votes, sensitization for peaceful general elections, and sensitization against vote buying and selling,” he said
Abari said the agency has been making concerted efforts through its various sensitization programmes to ensure enduring peace in communities across the country.
“As part of its efforts, the agency has carried out sensitization campaigns on peaceful co-existence in various communities across the country through it building a people of peace campaign,” he said.
The campaigns, according to Abari, will commence with the Southeast on January 16, Northeast on January 15, Northcentral and Southwest on January 16, and Northwest and South-south on January 18.