INEC expresses concern about the lack of ad hoc workers in Imo in off-season polls

Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC chairman, has voiced concern over the commission’s lacklustre response to its call for ad hoc workers for the governorship elections in Imo state.

In his lecture at a two-day workshop for media covering the Commission held in Akwanga, Nasarawa State, on Monday, he made the revelation.

In Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo States, the off-season elections are scheduled to take place the following month.

Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC chairman, has voiced concern over the commission’s lacklustre response to its call for ad hoc workers for the governorship elections in Imo state.

In his lecture at a two-day workshop for media covering the Commission held in Akwanga, Nasarawa State, on Monday, he made the revelation.

In Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo States, the off-season elections are scheduled to take place the following month.

Sam Olumekun, the INEC Chairman, who previously stated that Bayelsa and Kogi have all the Ad-hoc employees they need, was represented by INEC National Commissioner for Voters Education and Publicity when he stated that Imo has a shortfall of 6,154.

“The summary of successful applicants shows that Imo has a shortfall of 6,154 while Bayelsa and Kogi have full complements of all of their requirements for Ad-hoc staff,” he said. The neighbouring state will supply the shortage.

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Candidates were urged not to make statements that could incite violence by INEC Chairman. Additionally, he begged the media to give all political parties equal exposure.

“We call on political parties running in the off-cycle governorship elections to carefully review and pay attention to the Constitution’s, the Electoral Act’s, the Police Act’s, and the Public Order Act’s provisions regarding the proper and peaceful conduct of political campaigns, rallies, and processions. A political slogan or campaign cannot contain offensive language that could offend someone’s religious, ethnic, tribal, or sectional sentiments. Political campaigns may not utilise or employ abusive, intemperate, slanderous, or base words or innuendos that are intended to incite violence or are likely to do so. Let me also point out the media’s constitutional duties. At any election, the state apparatus, including the media, may not be used to the benefit or detriment of any political party or candidate. In other words, all public print and electronic media organisations must give all political parties equal exposure and coverage. The same holds true for privately owned media organisations that must pay the necessary fees.

The Chairman of INEC reaffirmed his organization’s commitment to uploading the election results from the polling places to the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV).

“The Commission will deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for the three governorship elections scheduled for November 11th to authenticate the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) and upload polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) seamlessly on election day.”