The Nigerian Bar Association [NBA] has set up its situation room to monitor the 2019 general election and ensure a hitch-free, free and fair election.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Chairman, NBA Election Working Group, Mazi Afam Osigwe
According to Mazi Osigwe, the NBA Election Working Group (EWG) is one of the Election Observer Groups accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to observe the forthcoming 2019 general election across the country.
,The Election Observer Committees set up at the various branches, are to work with the NBA Election Working Group (NBA National Election Observation Team) in observing, getting updates and reporting on the Elections in the respective States.
Speaking on the effort by NBA towards the election, Osigwe said:
“As we prepare to monitor the Presidential and National Assembly elections billed for Saturday, the 23rd day of February 2019, election in each State of the Federation and Federal Capital Territory, the NBA-EWG has set up a Situation Room at the NBA National Secretariat located at Muhammadu Buhari Way, Central Business District, Abuja.
“The Situation Room shall be open from 7:30am to 6pm on Saturday the 16th day of February 2019 as well as from 7:30am to 6pm on Saturday March 2, 2019.
“To ensure members of the public who may have reports concerning the conduct of the election are able to do so at no cost to them, the NBA has procured Toll Free line which the general public can contact for on-the-spot reportage of the happenings at polling units.
“Lawyers and all other members of the public are urged to contact the NBA through the Toll Free – 08003331111.
“Observations, reports, pictures, videos and updates may be sent to the NBA Twitter handle – @NigBarAssoc with the hashtag #NBAOBSERVERS, NBA Facebook page (Nigerian Bar Association) as well as other NBA related Facebook pages (Lawyers In Nigeria, etc) and members may also link up with us on WhatsApp by following this link: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FawplJIzRmPLVwDEvWmuUN.”
Osigwe encouraged observations, reports, pictures, videos and updates from all lawyers irrespective of whether or not you are a member of the Observer Committees of the branches.
According to him, “the idea is to make all lawyers who may go out to vote an “observer’ for purposes of getting eyewitness accounts about the conduct of the elections from as many Polling Units as possible.
“We count on the professionalism, devotion to duties and nationalistic spirit of the constituted teams and lawyers in the various States of the federation.
“We look forward to working with all the branches as well as all lawyers in Nigeria in carrying out this national assignment,” he concluded.