YIAGA Africa partners media to ensure credible election in Bayelsa

A non-governmental organisation, YIAGA AFRICA, has tasked journalists in Bayelsa state to ensure accurate and timely information on the electoral process in the November 16 governorship election.

The leader of the group, Cynthia Mbamalu, said on Friday that the organization was ready to partner and engage the media in the promotion of peaceful and credible elections.

She noted that YIAGA AFRICA would deploy accredited observers to all the polling units in the Local Government Areas of the state to provide accurate and timely information on the electoral process.

She said that the NGO had deployed 21 long term observers who could also cover the various activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“Without the media, the people will not be informed and the masses cannot hold public office holder accountable. We will ensure that the media will be informed whenever we observe any abnormalities among the political party and INEC,” she said.

In her speech, the Chairperson of Nigeria Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ) in Bayelsa Mrs Marie Oluma said that most of the observers were not always free to share information with them.

She, therefore, appealed to them to always be open with journalist; by informing them on what they have observed during and after the process of voting.

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