ADDRESS BY THE HON. NATIONAL COMMISSIONER & MEMBER INFORMATION & VOTER EDUCATION COMMITTEE (IVEC) MAL. MOHAMMED KUDU HARUNA AT AN ENGAGEMENT WITH MEDIA EXECUTIVES IN OWERRI, IMO STATE AHEAD OF THE GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY 11" NOVEMBER, 2023.
Protocols.
On behalf of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I welcomne you to this special engagement with Media Executives in Owerri, the first of its kind after the Governorship election in the state in 2019.
This strategic engagement with this calibre of Media personnel is very apt coming ahead of the scheduled 11h November Governorship election in the state. The Commission has a long-standing partnership with the media in the country which is being consolidated with an engagement such as this. We sincerely appreciate the support of the media in providing voter education, electoral informatÃon and your involvements in other activities of the Commission.
The Media remains one of our critical stakeholders, such that we have over 100 members of INEC Press Corps from various media organisations in the country who cover activities of the Commission on a regular basis. Beyond voter and civic education, the Commission frequently consults the media ahead of the formulation of policies and during the implementation of activities so as to keep you abreast of the happenings in the electoral system as well as in the Commission.
Aside regular coverage of activities of the Commission, media organisations are also accredited to cover elections and electoral activities during general elections and off- cycle elections such as we are having in Owerri in less than two months' time. Apart from the general functions of the media which basically is to educate, inform and entertain, as well as reporting Commission's activities, we are convinced that as citizens you should be part of the discussion for the overall improvement of our electoral process based on your field observations.
That is why it is fundamental that we continually and continuously interact with media for effective dissemination of information concerning our processes and procedures and also our plans for free, fair, credible and all-inclusive elections.
As you are aware, on the 11" day of November 2023, the Commission will conduct the off-cycle Governorship election in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states and preparations for these elections have been ongoing.
The Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the off-cycle Governorship election was released on the 25h of October, 2022, over one year before the opening of polls on Saturday 11h November, 2023.
This was done in line with our belief that early and proper preparation will give all stakeholders involved in the election, as well as the Commission ample time to plan and to have elections that meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people.
The implementation of activities on the time table and schedule towards the governorship election in the state has significantly progressed. You will recal that following the notice of election issued in November last year, Political Parties conducted primaries for candidate nomination, which was submitted to INEC on 5" of
May this year. We went ahead to publish the particulars of candidates and the final list of nominated candidates on 9h of June, 2023. In line the Electoral Act 2022, Political Parties have effectively commenced campaigns since 14" June this year.
As at today, we have implemented 8 (62%) of the 13 activities. We are now entering the period of submission of names of polling agents by Political Parties, publication of official register of voters by the Commission and the notice of poll. The last two activities are closing of campaign by Political Parties and the climax, which is the Elections Day proper.
Fortunately, we have been preparing for these elections long before the release of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities. This year, 2023, has given us the biggest opportunity to test our preparedness for the elections. It has been a busy year for the Commission having successfully concluded another general election earlier in the year. Now we are preparing for Governorship elections in three states. This is an indication that there is no election season any longer in Nigeria.
It has become the policy of the Commission to embark on post-election review after the conduct of general election with different stakeholders in the electoral process including the Media.
This exercise was held in August in Lagos and am sure somebody from Imo participated in that review meeting. The essence of such reviews is to receive inputs and suggestions from you the practitioners on what we did well, where to improve on if necessary, so as to enhance the electoral process.
I am glad that all Post 2023 General Election Review enments at state lerel, in Abuja and Lagos were successful and a handful of sugestions as to how we Cn ma plections better were harvested and implementation of some have aiready commenced. Part of the recommendations is what we are doing today -hering a robust engagement with the media and increasing voter education and sensitiation of the electorate ahead of the election.
We look forward to implementing some of those suggestions which renuire administrative action in the forthcoming governorship election in Imo State.
UNDERSTANDING THE ELECTORAL PROCESS
Basically, we cannot, in truth and in fact, communicate what we do not knaw ot understand. We must read and have basic understanding of the constitutive, constitutional and legal instrument underpinning the work of the Cormmission.
We must understand the powers and the duties of the Commission as spelt out in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as armended); the Electoral Act, 2022, the Rules, Regulations, Guidelines and Manuals of the Commission made in pursuant to the powers conferred on it by the Constitution and various laws.
The Journalists must be versatile in the area of coverage and can no longer be jack of all trade. A Journalist that is ignorant of the basic duties and functions of the Commission and insists that he or she is an expert on the electoral process is a danger to the electoral process and therefore a danger to the nation.
ELECTORAL OPERATIONS ACTIVITIES
All non-sensitive materials have been delivered to the three states in required quantities and gOOd quality. The production of sensitive materials has been cCompleted and ready for delivery to the three states. The INECPRES portal for recruitment of Ad-Hoc staff for the November, 2023 off-Cycle Governorship Elections was opened on Thursday, 31st August, 2023 at 8.00am and will close on Monday, 2 October, 2023 by 12.00 midnight.
The Registration Area Center (RAC) and Collation Center assessment is completed.
The Pre-Election Planning technical workshop (PEP) for Electoral Officers, Assistant Electoral Officers (AEOs), Heads of Unit (HoU) Training and HOD Operations is also completed. The engagement with RAC officials on Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for RAC management is scheduled to take place on the 27 of September, 2023.
COLLECTION OF PERMANENT VOTERS CARDS
Nou may be aware that the Commlssion has made arrangement for people in the state who could not collect thelr PVCs before the general electlon to collect them before the 11" November Governorship election.
The PVCs are available for collection at all our Local Government Area offices in the three States. While the Commission has created other designated centers with a large number of uncollected PVCs to ensure a seamless exercise.
To effectively mobilise citizens to turn out to collect these PVCs, we are seeking the support of the Media to create and promote awareness of the PVC collection exercise in your various media outfits in order to boost the number of eligible Nigerians who will come out and vote on Election Day.
INEC staff at the LGA offices are available on weekdays (Monday - Friday) from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for the collection of PVCs for a period of four weeks from 11th September - to 9th October 2023.
ASSISTIVE DEVICES FOR PWDs
As part of its relentless effort at improving and easing access for persons living with disabilities (PWDs) and other marginalized groups to participate in elections, the Commission has provided Braille ballot for visually impaired voters, made available magnifying glass for people with Albinism and introduced enlarged posters for voters with hearing impairment. We have gone further to integrate into the voting procedure a process that accords priority voting for PWDs, vulnerable people like the elderly, pregnant and nursing mothers.
ELECTION OBSERVATION
The Commission has received application for accreditation of observers interested in observing the forthcoming election. The submission of application closed on 7th September and the list of successful observer groups approved for accreditation will soon be published on national newspapers and on the Commission's website.
Observer group who applied should look out for the approved list.
MEDIA ACCREDITATION
Currenty, the Commission has opened its portal for Media Accreditation to cover the three off-cycle elections. We received suggestions and recommendations on how to make the process better, which is why the Commission opened the portal early enough and for a period of two months.
For the first time since we migrated from the manual accreditatÃon to the online portal, imap.inecnigeria.org. will be open for two (2) full months, as one-month window we have had for previous elections. The portal went ethod, the portal, gainst the an the 24" of August and will close automatically on the 22"" of October, n23. We implore all credible media organisations wishing to cover the elections to ake advantage of the extended window to visit the site and apply. There is ample time to do and get all your staff properly accredited to cover the elections.
We have two dedicated lines available for ingquiries and assistance in case any media organisation is experiencing challenges in the course of applying for accreditation.
Our Head of Voter Education and Publicity (HOD VEP) and Public Affairs Officer will provide you with the phone numbers to call if you do require assistance or guidance.
The Commission will work with the Nigeria Union of Journalists in your State in the area of media accreditation and distribution of tags for accredited Journalists before the election.
THE MEDIA AND IMO GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION
In reporting the activities of the Commission, pre-election, election, and post- activities, we plead with the media to be factual, objective, and professional in their reportage.
Journalists covering the elections must on no account, interfere with the processes and procedures of voting or in any way distract Presiding Officers in the performance of their duties.
The media must on no account attempt to know or report on the way someone has voted. The secrecy of the ballot is at the heart of the democratic process.
The media must also not make any declaration or return of any election as it is the exclusive preserve of the Commission.
Once again, I welcome you to this program. On behalf of the Commission, I hereby declare this programme open and wish you a successful deliberation.
Thank you for your attention.
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