The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will tomorrow release its policy document for the conduct of Edo and Ondo States governorship, and other elections amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
Over 50 countries reportedly postponed thier elections indefinitely because of the challenges associated with conducting elections during the pandemic.
Also, INEC in March postponed four senatorial elections indefinitely in view of the fact that its activities involve large gathering of people.
We gathered that the policy document, which will be released on Monday, was prepared after extensive consultations with election stakeholders, to ensure safety of poll workers, voters and others who would be involved in the conduct of the elections.
The commission in a statement issued at the end of its management meeting last Thursday, said the policy document “covers health and legal issues, election planning and operations, election day and post-election activities, voter registration, political parties, election observation, electoral security and deployment of technology.”
An inside source disclosed that there were suggestions for the postponement of elections pending when the pandemic would abate because election involves huge crowds.
There were also concerns over electioneering campaigns, deployment of men and materials for the elections as well as accreditation of election observers.
In the end, according to him, it was agreed to go ahead with the elections, and hope to draw experience from countries that held elections during the coronavirus pandemic.
The source who said “the clean copy” of the document was not yet ready, assured of credible elections “if all the stakeholders cooperate with the INEC.
“We are going to conduct all the elections including the four suspended senatorial elections; they are now five because the commission has been notified of vacancy in Cross River North.
“There are other vacancies in the House of Representatives. We will conduct all these elections, there will be no postponement.”
“On our part, we will play our part but you know it is not INEC alone: we have political parties, security agencies, election observers and the media.”
He however, ruled out electronic voting because there is no law backing it now.
We learnt part of the measures to be adopted might be to increase the number of voting points in each polling units. Edo State has a total of 2, 627 polling units and over four thousand voting points.
Also, the voting period might be extended beyond 2 pm because of the likely delay for a voter to cast his or her votes as the commission tries to ensure crowd control and social distancing protocol. There will be infrared thermometer for temperature check and every voter will wear a face mask.
Other measures that might be considered, is the reduction in the number of election observers. Foreign observers might be limited to few, and may be officials of foreign bodies in Nigeria as anyone coming into the country will undergo mandatory 14 days isolation.
Though INEC is concerned with the conduct of the elections, it hopes to dialogue with political parties on the conduct of primaries and campaigns when the commission meets with Chairmen and Secretaries of the 18 registered political parties on June 1.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye inform us to wait until the document is released on Monday for the details.
National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kola Ologbondiyan said the party is working out details on how to conduct its primaries and campaigns during the pandemic.
PDP has fixed July 22 and 23 to elect its candidate for Edo governorship election.
