• PVC COLLECTION CENTRES FOR BAYELSA, KOGI AND IMO STATES (PDF file)

At its regular meeting held today tuesday 6th june 2023, the commission approved the final list of candidates for the three off-cycle governorship elections scheduled to hold in bayelsa, imo and kogi states on saturday 11th november 2023.

the decision is in line with the provision of section 32(1) of the electoral act 2022 which requires the publication of the list not later than 150 days to election day i.e. friday 9th june 2023 following the period for voluntary withdrawal and substitution of candidates by political parties under section 31 of the electoral act 2022.

the final list has been uploaded to the commission’s website and social media platforms. same will be published in our state and local government offices in the the affected states on thursday 8th june 2023 ahead of the statutory deadline of 9th june 2023.

The list shows that all 18 political parties are fielding candidates in kogi state, 17 in imo state and 16 in bayelsa state. the list also shows that two political parties are fielding female candidates in bayelsa state, one in kogi state and none in Imo state.

The commission wishes to remind political parties and candidates that in line with timetable and schedule of activities for the three elections, campaign in public officially commences on wednesday 14th june 2023 in line with section 94(1) of the electoral act 2022 and ends on 9th november 2023 i.e. 24 hours prior to election day.

Regrettably, the ugly incident last week involving the convoys of two political actors in Kogi State resulting in the destruction of vehicles and other properties ahead of the commencement of campaign is worrisome. we urge parties and candidates to conduct their political activities with civility and decorum as peaceful electioneering heralds a peaceful election. political parties and candidates have a responsibility to de-escalate tension ahead of the elections.

Barr. Festus Okoye
National Commissioner and chairman, information and voter education committee
tuesday 6th june 2023

1. list of candidates bayelsa state
2. list of candidates imo state
3. list of candidates kogi state

The Commission has approved the activation of INECPRES both the Mobile App for Android phones only and the web portal (laptops/desktops only), to this end the portal will be available to eligible applicants for registration of all categories of ad-hoc staff (SPO/PO/APO/RATECHs/RAC Managers) except the Collation officers.

The portal opens on Thursday 31^st August, 2023 at 8:00am and shall close on Monday, 2^nd October, 2023 by 12:00 midnight.

INECPRES – OTHER KEY INFORMATION

1. The INECPRES is for registration of Election duty ad-hoc staff (Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs)/ Presiding Officers (POs)/ Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs)/ Registration Area Technicians (RATECHs) and RAC Managers).
2. Launch period: INECPRES opens on Thursday 31^st August, 2023 by 8:00am and close on Monday, 2^nd October, 2023 by 12:00 midnight.

A link to the INECPRES is available at the INEC website www.inecnigeria.org

The URL of the INECPRES Web portal  is pres.inecnigeria.org

The Mobile Android App link is  https://inecpres-app.com/pres-app.apk

The IT Service Management (Help desk) details are:

a) Technical Assistance via phone:

• Rukayat (07057808259)/ Chioma (08036936180)   –   Bayelsa
• Bolaji (08059653879)/ Lizzy (08098604364)             –  Imo.
• Queensly (07055494581) / Buhari (07083613700) –  Kogi

b) INEC Citizen’s contact Centre Vanity number:       0700-CALL-INEC

Send Email for Technical Assistance/enquiry to: [email protected]

The Phone numbers of assigned help desk officers per state are detailed on the portal.

All applicants are encouraged to fill and submit the registration forms online to be eligible for consideration as ad-hoc staff in the 11^th November, 2023 off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states. For Eligibility criteria, please see the tables below 

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA & SOURCE INSTITUTION/MDAs

• Applicants must not be a political party member.
• Applicants must not have demonstrated or expressed support for any candidate or party.

Applicants must reside in the STATE selected except for RATECHs.

1.0     INTRODUCTION:

As part of the Commission’s Policy to ensure safety of all personnel on Election Day including Media Personnel, Journalists from Media Organisations are duly accredited to cover the conduct of elections.

In the light of this, the Commission has approved the following guidelines for Journalists and Media Organisations wishing to cover the 2023 Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi States Governorship Elections.

• APPLICATION FOR ACCREDITATION:

Media organisations intending to deploy Journalists to cover any or all the three of the Governorship elections shall apply online to the Commission via this website; https://imap.inecnigeria.org. Each organisation shall attach and upload onto the accreditation portal an application letter and the list of all staff it wishes to deploy.

The Portal will be opened on Thursday 24^th of August, 2023 and close on Sunday, 22^nd of  October, 2023.

3.0     LIAISON PERSONNEL:

For purposes of smooth accreditation, Media organisations are required to assign a liaison officer/contact person to coordinate the accreditation of their nominees. The Liaison Officer will be required to fill the forms online on behalf of the organisations’ staff (as the case may be) for processing of the applications.

4.0     DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR ACCREDITATION:

(a) The contact person of the organisation is required to upload the passport photographs and work I.D of every staff that will be involved in the coverage of the election.

(b) The contact person is also required to upload a covering letter  from his/her organisation containing the list, names and duties of officers his/her organisation wishes to deploy (e.g. Reporter, Camera Operator, Driver, Reporter, Crew members for Live coverage of election etc.

(c) Online Media organisations will be required to provide their website addresses with evidence of recent posts (ie regular posts in the last 30 days preceding the date of the application).

(d) Print Journalists may be required to scan and upload at least three recent editions of their publication.

5.0 SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS:

All documents shall be submitted in soft copies through the dedicated online portal as provided above. No hard copy submission will be accepted.

6.0 DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS:

Submission of all applications and documents for accreditation for the three Governorship Elections will end at 12:00 am (Midnight) of Sunday, 22^nd October 2023.

NB:  No late submission shall be entertained as the portal will automatically shut down at the expiration of the submission period.

7.0 COLLECTION OF TAGS:

1. Journalists/Media organisations whose applications are successful will collect media accreditation Tags at the NUJ Secretariat in the respective states:

The Commission may change the venue and location for the issuance of the Tags should the need arises.

1. DATES FOR COLLECTION OF TAGS:  

Media Accreditation tags shall be collected at the venue from Monday, 6^th November to Thursday, 9th November, 2023. Collection closes at 4.00 pm daily.

• ACCESS TO COLLATION CENTRES:

While access to polling units is open to all accredited Journalists covering the election but, due to limited space and safety concerns, INEC will allow only one accredited representative per radio station and two per television station, (reporter and cameraman) and newspaper (a reporter and one Photographer) to the collation centres.

9.0 RESPONSIBILITIES OF ACCREDITED JOURNALISTS:

All accredited Journalists and allied staff have the right to cover ALL election procedures within their respective jurisdictions for which they have been accredited. Journalists accredited to cover the election are expected to strictly abide by all laws and INEC Regulations and Guidelines and all Rules and Codes from relevant Regulatory Bodies as well as the ethics of the Journalism Profession.

10.0 JOURNALISTS ARE TO:

1. Display their photo identification Tags issued by the Commission at all times on Polling Day.
2. Be at the Polling Unit from the opening of poll on Election Day to observe all stages of the polling process – from voter accreditation, through the voting period, to the counting of ballot papers and pasting of results – provided they do not interfere with polling processes or compromise the voters statutory right to secrecy of his/her vote.
3. Move around the Polling Units as long as their movements do not obstruct the voting process or the work of poll officials, interview voters, observers or other persons within the polling environment without interfering with the polling process
4. Observe the deployment of sensitive materials and the retrieval of used and unused sensitive materials after the polling processes.

• JOURNALISTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO:

(a) Film or take photographs of any individual within the polling zone without his/her consent.

(b) Film or photograph any voter marking a ballot paper.

(c) Photograph, acquire pictures, film footage or audio commentary that reveals personal details of the voter.

(d) Film, photograph or copy the Register of Voters, Voter Cards or any other document(s) as would infringe on the privacy of any voter;

(e) Handle any polling material.

12.0 LINE OF AUTHORITY/OBEDIENCE TO LAWFUL DIRECTIONS:

Accredited Journalists, like everyone else in the polling environment, shall be subject to the directives and control of the Presiding Officer.

INEC reserves the right to withdraw or revoke at anytime the accreditation of any Journalist, who defies the directives of any Presiding Officer or authorized INEC Official or who violates the provisions of any law, regulation, code or professional codes of Journalism practice.

Note: 

1. INEC reserves the right to withhold accreditation for any organisation or Journalist whose professional identity could not be verified.
2. Only accredited media representatives will be allowed free movement or access to Polling Units, Collation Centres, or any INEC office facility.

FOR FURTHER ENQUIRIES, PLEASE CALL; 09118747877 & 08160156718

Signed:

Secretary

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

INEC: Making your vote  count…Consolidating our Democracy

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hereby invites registered Civil Society Organization (CSOs) and Non-Governmental Organization (NGOs) as well as other interested stakeholders whose work is on democracy, governance and election and who wish to observe the Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo governorship elections scheduled to hold on 11^th November, 2023 to visit (http://observergroups.inecnigeria.org) and complete the application form.  This is without prejudice to any previous correspondence with the Commission.  Completion of the prescribed application form (EC14A(I)) remains the only accepted means of application.

2. In view of the above, interested  groups should complete the application Form (EC14A(I)) and submit same online along with other necessary documents (including evidence of past election observations).
3. Observer Groups should particularly note that all other information including legal status(registration with CAC), evidence of registration with the Civil Society Desk at INEC Headquarters, evidence of previous election observation with INEC (if any), acknowledgment page of submission of reports of observation (if any) , etc, are to accompany the online application.
4. Any falsification of documents in the submissions will lead to automatic disqualification and possible prosecution.
5. The deadline for submission of application (EC14A (1)) is 7^thSeptember, 2023.  The list of successful observer groups approved for accreditation will subsequently be published in National Newspapers and on the Commission’s website.

ACCREDITATION OF SUCCESSFUL OBSERVER GROUPS

6. Each successful group would be required to complete the online deployment of field observer’s Form (EC14A (ii)) and submit same.
7. Successful observer groups should also note that passport photographs (in JPEG) Format of the individual observers to be deployed to the field shall be arranged on Local Government Area (LGA) basis and shall be submitted along with the deployment Form (EC14A (ii)).  This is to enable the Commission produce identification/accreditation tags for deployed individual field observers.
8. All successful observer groups will be required to sign the Commission’s Indemnity Form before receiving their accreditation letters.

9. NOTES ON ELECTION OBSERVATION EXERCISE

• Observer groups should note that the core principle of election observation as contained in relevant UN, AU, and ECOWAS treaties and protocols, as well as INEC guideline on Election observation (2008), which includes impartiality, objectivity and non-partisanship would guide the conduct of field observers during the election and any field observer or group found compromising those principles would be banned from future participation in election observation activities.
• COVID-19 PROTOCOLS

In accordance with the prevailing circumstance in the country, accredited observer groups are expected to comply with all the regulations and protocols on Covid-19 as issued by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Presidential Task Force and INEC guidelines on Covid-19 including provision of personal protective Equipment (PPE) such as face masks, hand gloves, and hand sanitizers, as well as maintain Social distancing by all their members that will operate in the field  on Election day.

Details of Covid-19 Protocols as they relate to election are available at (www.inecnigeria.org)

Please be guided accordingly.

SIGNED:  INDEPENDENT NATIONAL COMMISSION (INEC)