Ahead of the 15 bye-elections in 11 States scheduled for December 5, 2020, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said that voters must wear facemasks/face coverings and maintain the recommended social distance at the polling units.
This is just as the Commission reminded voters and all stakeholders that the COVID-19 pandemic is still very much around.
Consequently, INEC reminded everybody that will be involved in the elections of the subsisting guidelines and protocols as clearly contained in the Commission’s policy on the Conduct of Elections in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
This was made known by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, after a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners from 11 States where bye-elections are scheduled to hold on 5th December 2020 and several Resident Electoral Commissioners who will support them.
He noted that the security agencies have all reassured the Commission that they will continue to provide professional support to the Commission for the upcoming bye-elections devoid of any partisan inclinations in order to reproduce the quality of elections that the nation saw in the Edo and Ondo Governorship elections.
He disclosed that the Commission has decided that in order to forestall deliberate disruption of collation of results, the collation of Local Government level results will not take place in the constituency.
“Instead, after collation of results at the Registration Areas, all results shall be moved to the State Headquarters of the Commission in Owerri for Local Government Collation and declaration of results. This is consistent with the powers of the Commission to designate collation centres and inform stakeholders”.
The Commission appealed to all stakeholders in the constituency to cooperate with its officials, including security agencies, to ensure that the decision is implemented peacefully, adding that it would not hesitate to apply relevant sanctions to individuals or political parties that may disrupt the process.
Okoye assured Stakeholders and partners that the 15 bye-elections in 11 States on the 5th of December 2020 will be free, fair, credible and safe.
