Edo/Ondo Elections: INEC Releases Guidelines, To Comply With COVID-19 Protocols - THISDAYLIVE

Edo, Ondo Elections: INEC Releases Guidelines, To Comply With COVID-19 Protocols via thisdaylive

The Independent National Electoral Commission Monday released the guidelines for the conduct of the Edo and Ondo States governorship elections and subsequent elections in the country.

The commission said it would ensure that Pre-Election Preparation activities will be conducted online preferably and where face-to-face activities become necessary, the protocols for COVID-19 prevention would be followed. According to INEC, In handling and delivery of election materials, it shall reduce the number of contacts during distribution, when Non-sensitive Materials are procured, they will be delivered directly by vendors to States or purchased by States requiring the materials and packaged according to quantity required by Registration Area. This will reduce the level and number of contacts during distribution.

“All ad hoc staff databases in the Commission will be harmonized for better management. To reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19, the Commission shall reduce to a minimum interstate ad hoc staff, for off-season and bye elections. The rule shall be that only shortfalls requested by the States are filled from outside the state.

In the establishment of Voting Points, the commission said that in order to reduce the number of points in a Polling Unit to be monitored and controlled for COVID-19 compliance, the threshold for Voting Points shall be increased from 500/750 to 1,000/1,250. Also, it said that in order to accommodate additional activities in setting up the PU due to COVID-19, polls shall now commence at 8.30 am and close at 2.30 pm and anybody on the outer queue by 2.30 pm shall be allowed to vote, in line with the Commission’s regulations.

Also, INEC said that P e r s o n a l P r o t e c t i v e Equipment and other safety materials shall be provided for polling staff and at the close of polls, polling unit staff shall ensure that materials are properly disinf ec t ed, car efully packaged and that used PPE are hygienically packaged or disposed of.

“It is now mandatory for designated election staff to collect and deposit all Electoral Operations copies of results with their Supervisors within the prescribed time. Non-compliance shall be treated as dereliction of duty. On training, INEC said that the methodology for election training will combine face-to- face and electronic approaches. Where the former is used, the requisite COVID-19 prevention protocols shall strictly apply and it shall be the responsibility of trainees to provide their own face masks during training.

On voter education. Said that the Commission shall, “Engage with the National Centre for Disease Control and other health authorities to develop relevant messaging on COVID-19 and the electoral process. “E xp an d th e c hann els available to citizens to reach the Commission with their concerns and suggestions, such as the Citizens’ Contact Centre, MyINEC App, etc.

“Tracking and reporting of campaigns and campaign finance by/for Candidates and Political Parties”, the guidelines stated. “Where the Guidelines and Regulations are in conflict with the Constitutions of Political Parties and the Commissions’ Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Political Party Primaries, 2018, the Commission shall draw the attention of the political party to the discrepancy.

On the briefing and debriefing of Election Observers, it said that the Commission shall, asappropriate, combine physical and online briefings for observers. However, whenever the former is adopted, all the protocols for COVID-19 prevention shall be strictly followed. Also said that in line with its mandate, the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security will mandate the State- level ICCES to:

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