By Godwin Ajom
With the 2024 Cross River State Local Government Election just around the corner, stakeholders in the state have called for free, fair, transparent, and gender-sensitive elections.
They said women should be allowed 30% inclusivity in elective positions at the grassroots and shy away from handpicking candidates as often witnessed in election tussles.
Chief Okoi Obono-Obla and Honorable Cletus Obun while speaking in a virtual engagement tagged RESET with the theme: “local governance, global influence: shaping Cross River through local government leadership,” emphasized the need for transparency and enthronement of true democratic values.
The Cross River State Independence Electoral Commission (CROSIEC) had scheduled the grassroots elections for Saturday 2nd November 2024.
Obono-Obla charged Governor Bassey Otu to ensure the people’s votes count. He captioned against godfatherism in selecting candidates.
Honorable Cletus Obun said in electing leaders at the grassroots, special attention should be given to electing candidates who will protect the leftover Cross River State forest, timber, and other forest resources.
He frowned at the level of deforestation and illegal timber exploration amidst global warming and other environmental issues the State faces. He fingered some Cross River State Forestry Commission officials to indulge in unlawful timber dealing.
The Executive Director at the Electoral College, Kunle Lawal on his part, blamed Cross River and Nigeria’s bastardized democracy on several factors including poor political education and apathy during democratic processes. He urged Cross Riverians especially youths to be deliberate in choosing who leads them at the grassroots and other levels of government.
The event anchored by the Founder of RESET, Emmanuel George, aims to endear the values of democracy to the masses at the grassroots
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