The European union through its Support to Democratic Governance (EU-SDGN) Programme has trained 100 female election observers ahead of the Ekiti State governorship election, as preparations intensify for the poll.
The training, organised in Ado-Ekiti by the Nigerian Women Trust Fund under the programme commenced on Thursday, brought together participants selected to serve as election observers with a focus on gender-sensitive monitoring during the election period.
The initiative, supported under EU-SDGN, is aimed at strengthening credible electoral monitoring, improving transparency, and promoting peaceful democratic participation.
The two-day programme equipped participants with skills in election observation, conflict monitoring and the use of digital tools for electoral reporting.
Facilitators emphasised the importance of objective monitoring, accurate documentation and timely reporting of electoral activities, noting that observers play a key role in safeguarding electoral integrity.
A key session on election observation was led by Programmes Officer of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Malliya Manu, who took participants through the ethics, responsibilities and procedures guiding observation before, during and after elections.
She stressed the need for neutrality, credibility and strict adherence to electoral laws while carrying out duties at polling units and collation centres.
Speaking to journalists during the training, Manu said the EU-SDGN-supported initiative was designed to strengthen gender-sensitive election observation across Ekiti State.
“Their job after this training is to basically observe gender equality in the distribution of electoral officers, security agencies, and other relevant stakeholders on election day,” she said.
She added that participants were drawn from existing and new networks across the 16 local government areas of the state.
“Some of them will be registered with INEC, depending on the slot we are getting, while a few others will work with us during courtesy visits to security operatives as we monitor preparations for the election and identify possible concerns affecting women,” she added.
Participants were also trained on the Gender and Election Watch (G.E.W.) App, a digital platform used for real-time reporting and documentation of incidents during elections.
The session included guidance on registration, testing and use of the application, including how to upload reports and track incidents.
Facilitators noted that the use of digital tools such as the G.E.W. App, under EU-SDGN support, would improve response times, strengthen monitoring processes and help prevent electoral violence and irregularities.
During a Monitoring and Evaluation session, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Isi Okiemute highlighted the need for accountability, accurate reporting and proper documentation throughout the observation process.
The training also included interactive discussions, experience-sharing and practical demonstrations aimed at preparing participants to identify electoral infractions and support peaceful conduct during the election.
Organisers expressed confidence that the training would strengthen electoral transparency, increase public trust and support peaceful democratic participation in the forthcoming Ekiti governorship election.
