Distinguished professionals, scholars, diplomats and civil society personalities will converge in Abuja on Thursday, 17th November for a seminar on the integrity of elections in Nigeria.
The event will be the 2022 edition of the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship annual seminar.
United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Leonard will give the keynote address at the hybrid event that will hold at Bolingo Hotels.
This year’s edition of the seminar has the theme: “Promoting Electoral Integrity in Nigeria — Prospects and Challenges”.
The event will feature cerebral speaker including a national commissioner at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Barrister Festus Okoye, and for Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Lawrence Alobi.
Others are Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Mr Samson Itodo; and Chairman of THISDAY Editorial Board, Mr Olusegun Adeniyi.
The speakers will discuss various perspectives and requirements in election integrity.
President of the Hubert Humphrey alumni association, Mrs Abosede Oyeleye: said: “The annual treatise is a flagship programme, that promotes the ideals of the fellowship, which includes promoting development in societies”.
She described the theme as apt, and in tandem “with the demand for peace and transparency in the forthcoming general elections.”
Vice president of the group, Mr Andy Ezeani expressed optimism that “the noble ideals of the international scholarship will be further espoused through the seminar”.
Ezeani, who is also chairman of the organsing committee and former head of publicity at INEC, explained that the theme and speakers at the seminar were painstakingly selected to add substance and help strengthen Nigeria’s electoral and democratic processes.
In a statement on, the association’s public relations officer, Mrs Adeze Ojukwu said the Hubert Humphrey seminar, offered by Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US. Department of State, “is an exchange programme for young and mid-career professionals from developing countries and nations undergoing democratic transition.
“The one-year study programme focuses on leadership development, and collaboration with US counterparts.
“The fellowship, which was established to honour the public service career of the late US Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey, began in 1978”.
Over 200 guests are expected at this year’s seminar.
