The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Chief Tony Ojukwu, has stated that elections are essential in creating enabling environment for the fulfilment of human rights.
He, therefore, tasked political parties and their candidates in the coming general elections to focus on issues, especially on what they will do to achieve basic rights of citizens.
Speaking in Umuahia, Abia State capital, at a townhall on ‘Human Rights And The 2023 Elections,’ organised, at the weekend, by NHRC, Ojukwu, who was represented by Dr. Kelechukwu Akubueze, listed some of the rights as gender equality, women empowerment, protection of the vulnerable, including, children, youths, persons living with disabilities, among others.
Also, the Coordinator of Coalition for Civil Society groups in Abia State, Onuoha Oliver, said that the credibility and legitimacy accorded election victory should be determined by extent to which the process of voting is free and fair.
In attendance were representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Police, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Women Groups and some non- governmental organisations.
According to the state NHRC Coordinator, Mrs. Uche Nwokocha, the town hall is a non-partisan platform, which NHRC and its partners organised for governorship candidates in the state to develop a value system that places human rights as key element in the country’s electoral process and democracy.
Out of the 18 political parties in the state that presented governorship candidates for the 2023 election, only the National Rescue Movement (NRM), which has John Uche as its candidate, participated through his representative, Kenry Ibekwe.
Ibekwe, who said that NRM fully supports the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), assured that if voted into office, the Uche-led NRM government will, among other things, address insecurity, food insecurity, implement laws that would facilitate human rights enforcement, justice, unity, including better education management and reduction of high cost of governance, among others.
