Abuja, Nigeria - UPF-Nigeria has been invited to submit 144 Ambassadors for Peace to be trained as local election observers in the upcoming presidential elections.
The request was made by the West African Network of Election Observers, a recognized and accredited election observer organization that has been involved in several elections.
A one-day training session is scheduled to be held on January 22, 2015, at the National Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution in the capital, Abuja, with the participation of the Economic Community of West African States, the National Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Red Cross and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps.
The general elections, scheduled for February 14, 2015 [postponed to March 28], are seen as being among the most critical elections in the history of the nation. UPF-Nigeria views this invitation as an opportunity to help ensure that the elections are peaceful and will lead to a peaceful transition of power in May 2015.
As soon as the invitation was conveyed, very quickly UPF received responses from 144 Ambassadors for Peace who were eager to be trained and deployed as election observers throughout the country. These individuals represent 25 states in Nigeria; in addition, two are currently residing in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
After the training, UPF plans to work with the Independent National Electoral Commission and the West African Network of Election Observers to assign the Ambassadors for Peace to cover 288 polling units and to observe about 144,000 electorates as a special condition for peaceful elections and transition 2015 in Nigeria.
Registered participants will be issued certificates of participation and provided with training materials. UPF-Nigeria is honored by this opportunity to engage the Ambassadors for Peace in a crucial national assignment in Nigeria.