Uyo, Akwa Ibom —Youth for Change and Social Life Development Foundation (YOFCI) held a media briefing on the outcomes of their Election Violence Mitigation & Prevention (e-VIP) project in Akwa Ibom NEGROIDHAVEN has confirmed.
The press conference, which took place on Saturday at 26 Esuene Street, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, highlighted the project’s successful efforts in preventing and mitigating election-related conflicts in eight selected Local Government Areas (LGAs) within the state.
Funded by the Foundation for Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND), the e-VIP project aimed to raise awareness and foster peaceful election processes in Akwa Ibom State. The targeted LGAs included Uyo, Ibiono Ibom, Itu, Ikono, Obot Akara, Oron, Eket, and Ukanafun.
Over the course of eight months, the project conducted various activities, including Sensitisation/Media Messaging, establishment of Community Stakeholders Networks (CSNs), Training of Peace Monitors in Election-Related Conflict Incident Reporting, Advocacy Visitations, and Multi-Stakeholders’ Forum. These initiatives were designed to educate young people and stakeholders about the significance of peaceful elections and the risks associated with election-related violence.
The e-VIP project’s efforts were instrumental in promoting peaceful and violence-free elections in Akwa Ibom State. Through the establishment of CSNs, timely and coordinated responses to potential triggers and electoral incidents were facilitated, ensuring that violence was promptly addressed and prevented. Additionally, political parties and their principals upheld their commitment to conducting peaceful and violence-free elections, as evidenced by the signing of Peace Accords or issuing Communiqués.
Post-election engagements were also conducted in Obot Akara, Ibiono Ibom, and Itu LGAs, where YOFCI continued its efforts to engage with critical stakeholders committed to peaceful electoral processes.
The Project Lead, Peace Edem, expressed appreciation to the PIND Foundation for their invaluable support and funding, which enabled the successful implementation of the e-VIP project. The initiative played a pivotal role in fostering an atmosphere of peace and cooperation before, during, and after the 2023 general elections in Akwa Ibom State. He noted that, ‘the project contributed towards peaceful and violence free election by youths and stakeholders… through established CSNs; political party stakeholders and principals upholding their commitment to a peaceful and violence free election’.
As the state continues to build on the positive outcomes achieved by the e-VIP project, its impact on promoting peaceful elections and mitigating violence stands as a testament to the effectiveness of youth-led initiatives in ensuring the stability and prosperity of the electoral process.
