By Godfrey AKON
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Wednesday said it has accredited a total of 145 organisations that will deploy 7,896 observers for the November 11 Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states governorship elections.
Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who disclosed this at a Quarterly Consultative Meeting with Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, in Abuja, said in the next few days, accredited organisations will be invited for collection of identity cards.
While noting that Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi governorship elections are critical to the commission, Yakubu said the commission looks forward to improved performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS in voter accreditation and result upload in the elections and beyond.
He noted that the mock accreditation earlier conducted by the commission involving actual voters in designated polling units in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States two weeks ago was successful as no adverse report has been received so far.
Speaking further on INEC’s preparation for the elections, he said the commission will continue to engage with all stakeholders and security agencies.
“In previous elections, civil society organisations have expressed concern about the safety of persons involved in elections as well as the protection of the process, including polling units and collation centres.
“Similarly, civil society organisations have on several occasions urged the Commission to intercede with the security agencies to grant you unimpeded access to voting and collation locations.
“I want to reassure you that we will continue to do so as we engage with the security agencies both at the national level and in the three States. At the same time, I wish to remind all accredited observers to strictly adhere to the code of conduct for election observation,” he said.
A spokesperson for the CSOs, Mr Bafunsho Tunde, of Justice and Equity Organisation, commended INEC for its excellent work “which has been adjudged by the international community as among the best in the world.”
Tunde said adequate encouragement has been given by the commission to observer groups, both domestic and international, to ensure they play their role in compliance with the electoral law.
“It is our conviction that with excellent work done by Independent National Electoral Commission and with our experience for the excellent work they did during 2023 general election, the forthcoming Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi states off-cycle governorship elections will also be credible.
“So, it is our candid appeal to the voters, the electorate to ensure that they come out en masse on 11th November 2023 to perform their civic right and ensuring that the vote for the candidate of their choice,” he said.