An APC Chieftain and a kingmaker in the Etuboms Traditional council of the Obong of Calabar’s palace Bassey Ndem has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to embark on more voter education to enable greater participation in the upcoming general election.
He also called on INEC to sensitise the electorate on the use of the BVAS machine.
He warned that the electorate and the ad-hoc INEC staff operating the machines are still confused over the operability of the equipment.
Ndem, who recently defected to the ruling APC in the state, in an interview, said “voter education should be ramped up.
Drawing experience from what happened during the just concluded Akpabuyo state constituency by-election in the state, Ndem said: “INEC should embark on massive sensitisation at ward and polling units levels instead of holding town hall meetings. They should go down to grassroots or house to house to enable greater participation.”
He appealed to the electorate to realise that voting is their strength. “Voters should not be tied to party slogans. They should know that they have voting power.
“Voters should also critically look at candidates and what they project to offer, not political parties.
“Voting shouldn’t be on the basis of tribes, compulsion or artificial boundaries that we have created”.
Ndem also appealed to voters to consider the 2023 general election as very important and not exercise apathy, stressing that voting is a civic duty.
