The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that it was harvesting operational vehicles from neighbouring States and headquarters for logistics purposes to complement the number of vehicles needed by each of the state during the November 11 governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this on Monday in Nasarawa at a two-day workshop for INEC press corps (IPCs).
He said the workshop was coming as the commission intensifies preparations for the off-cycle Governorship elections scheduled for 11th November in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States.
The Chairman noted that the Commission was conscious of the critical role of the media in the political and electoral process and believed that democracy would only grow and flourish through a free and vibrant media.
Yakubu, however, added that a free and vibrant press was also obliged to adhere to professional and ethical standards, saying true democracy cannot exist without effective information flow.
He recalled that the Commission last Thursday presented the soft copies of a combined total of 5,409,438 registered voters for the Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi governorship elections to Chairmen of political parties in the states.
Consequently, he said the Commission also successfully carried out the mock accreditation of voters in selected Polling Units across the Senatorial zones in the three states last Saturday.
Yakubu stated: “For the three governorship elections scheduled for 11th November, the Commission will deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to authenticate the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) and upload polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) seamlessly on election day.
“We urge political parties participating in the off-cycle governorship elections to critically study and pay attention to the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act, the Police Act, and the Public Order Act for the proper and peaceful conduct of political campaigns, rallies, and processions.
“A political campaign or slogan shall not be tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly likely to injure religious, ethnic, tribal, or sectional feelings.
“Abusive, intemperate, slanderous, or base language or innuendoes designed or likely to provoke violent reactions or emotions shall not be employed or used in political campaigns.
“Let me also remind the media of their constitutional obligations. State apparatus including the media shall not be employed to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate at any election.”
The chairman noted that equal coverage and visibility should be allotted to all political parties by all print and electronic media organisations, saying the same applies in equal measure to privately owned media organisations subject to payment of appropriate fees.
On electoral delimitation of the three States, Yakubu noted that Bayelsa State has Eight LGAs, 105 Registration Areas/Wards and 2,244; while Imo State has 27 LGAs, 305 Registration Areas/Wards and 4,758 and Kogi State has 21 LGAs, 239 Registration Areas/Wards and 508.
The chairman stressed that INEC Press Portal Recruitment of ad-hoc staff for the November 2023 off-cycle was opened on Thursday, 31st August 2023 at 8.00 a.m. and closed on Monday, 2nd October 2023 12.00 Midnight.
He noted that the summary of successful applicants showed that Bayelsa and Kogi have full complement of their requirements for all categories of ad-hoc staff, while Imo has a shortfall of 6,154.
Yakubu assured that the shortfall would be sourced from the neighbouring state.
The chairman stressed that election materials have been moved to the various states.
He added that the Registration Area Center (RAC) and Collation Center assessment was completed, while the engagement with RAC officials on Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for RAC management in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa States has been completed.
Yakubu said: “The Commission is harvesting operational vehicles from neighboring States and headquarters for logistics purposes to complement the number of vehicles needed by each of the state during the elections
“Printing of party agents tags shall commence today, 16th October 2023.”
The chairman noted that 55 media organisations, comprising 914 personnel have applied through the Commission’s portal for coverage of the elections as of Friday, 13th October, 2023.