Adedeji, who urged mobilization of women in the neighbourhood and communities to participate in the elections, advised that “citizens should refrain from committing any form of Violence against Women in Politics during the general elections. It is the responsibility of all citizens to protect the rights of women at all times, particularly during the elections”.
Adedeji, which is also the convener of Case Tracking and Response Centre, in its ‘Pre-Election Press Statement’ on the 2023 general election, expressed joy that the Ekiti template of BIGIF partnership with NSCDC through the use of the N-alert mobile application to respond to VAWIP had now become a template to combat electoral related gender-based violence.
She said that the polling units’ decongestion exercise by INEC that relocated some voters to new polling units could deprive some people who could not access their new PU opportunity to exercise their voting right.
According to her, security agencies must ensure that intimidation of women voters and other forms of violence that occur during the elections are handled with the utmost professionalism and ensure that persons who commit VAWIP are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Adedeji also called on Ekiti State Government to “conduct a full investigation of the alleged shooting of a female (a minor) in pre-election violence at Ikoro Ekiti on 30th January 2023 during a political rally and bring perpetrators to justice. We also urge the government to support the survivor’s recovery”.
The group expressed fear that “the economic crises in the country which has uniquely affected women may impact voters’ turnout during the elections. The twin challenges of poor access to cash and lingering fuel scarcity may impact voter’s turnout during the elections as a significant
number of potential voters were seen complaining about their inability to access the new
Naira notes for use.
“Some people in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, for example, who planned to go and vote in their respective rural communities complained of this as the major reason why they may not be able to exercise their franchise. Vote trading is a possibility in the elections as politicians may want to take advantage of the economic crises and cash crunch to lure voters.”
