At
a time like this in our history when transition to another democratic
dispensation has struck the fear of God into us, it is only difficult to find
positive ground. Some one had smooth sailing in the cause of managing the ship,
while others never had. It is either you find your ship capsized or you find
your destination having experienced smoother sailing from origin. Unlike those
former umpires, that had it rough with both the public and their employers
amidst much controversy before and after the expiration of their tenures.
Suddenly
you realize that the trend has gone beyond our imagination, where some of us
are burring out this perception of having the present umpire removed can not
come easy the way it was initially at the starting of this democratic
dispensation. Our
electoral act that guides inec is more strengthened in this dispensation unlike
the last republic, where it can only come easy for a sitting president to hire
and fire but in this republic, the president can only hire but can’t fire,
except when in acting capacity in the way the present one as at present For it
to be actualize, or else, it must have the backing of the two third of both the
upper and the lower house to perform such task.
That
said. Fairly enough this time, I was
invited as
one of the media personality by a friend Mr. Omoruyi Aigbe, the programme manager of the international republican institute who’s non governmental
organization is anchored on capacity building for party agents , electoral
officers as well as voters and security agents with registered political
parties that happened to be such dire needs for re-orientation in a symposium of some sort, organized by those non governmental organization that had all in attendance.
That perhaps set the tone for the work shop in
which Mr. jide Ojo, who happens to be another member of the team, introduced
some techniques to the audience about some basic set of skills and information
to help them fulfill their vital role in the election process. Judging from the
inclusiveness of the ideology that brought the independent national electoral
commission to tap
into the experience of the international republican
institutes in conducting polling agent training world wide, remains one of
those big step to take in allowing for transparency which indeed the
independent electoral commission had being searching for in a while now, where also, drawing updates from that partnership to help the umpire to
inform the registered political parties on how things are done appropriately.
INEC, according to Omoruyi, is today in the
eyes of the storm, which is in dire need of information dissemination of this
kind. He said, for instance, in the appointment of
polling agent, political party sponsoring a candidates may, by notice appoint
one person as its polling agent for each polling unit, one party agent for each
collation centre and a representative at each point of distribution of
electoral material in the constituency where it is sponsoring candidates for an
election where never done accurately. Although, Omoruyi traced the lingering
challenges befalling INEC to when party agent are privy to election material and
interfere in the conduct of the polls and counting of ballots as the case may
be, given the unprecedented approval of those ills in the past.
Omoruyi said also that there may be
some instances where the need may arise to provide additional polling units,
political parties are allowed to appoint polling agent for each voting points. He said these circumstances arise when there’s
the need for additional population in some circumstances as the case may be. He said names of those appointed polling agents
are sent to the electoral officer to each polling units before polling begins
and where they can as well stand as party agent in various collation centers.
Signaling
that the era of lopsidedness is being discouraged where polling agent, party
agent, security and observer are part of the distribution of election material,
conduct of accreditation, voting, counting of ballots and the collation and
declaration of results and as the case it was the case in the past. He said calling the
attention of an
election official to any irregularities remains the best option and equally
said but shall not, in any way, interfere in the process, ensure party agent counter sign the appropriate
result form at polling units Omoruyi, the programme manager has said’’.
According to jide Ojo, another programme manager with international republican
institute, he said for those who are eligible voters he said polling agent
needs to be thoroughly familiar with the necessary qualifications. For instance
he said eligible voters shall be citizen of Nigeria and has attained 18 years, must registered as voter in the ward and has obtained
a valid permanent voters
card to be presented at the polling units or voting point on the day of election, must be a resident
of the ward or constituency.
In
an event where such individual is not having permanent voters card, such person he said cannot be accredited to vote. Wale said
those who will be watching are those accredited by INEC, he went further that
they include INEC officials on duty, security agent candidates and accredited
poll agent, accredited journalist on duty and foreign observers. On code of
conduct, wale said individuals are urged to be polite, especially if you have
compliant. He
advised that we should avoid becoming confrontational, as angry outburst may
cause us to be dismissed from the polling station. He said it will be sad to
see that some are trying to observe the voter as they are marking their ballots
papers. He said individual should avoid campaigning at the polling station as
it strictly forbidden he reiterated that polling agent should bee seen as
impartial instead of wearing party
symbol or campaign materials.
He said setting up a poll unit is purely the
responsibility of the presiding officer where it shall remove all campaign
material from the polling unit and hung up posters such as polling zone,
polling unit, correct finger print and voting process. He said the polling
officers shall in accordance with law, set up the layout of the polling unit,
voting point. Wale gave another pointer that accreditation is part of
ascertaining that a voters name is in the register of voter in a particular
polling unit and
to ensure the process of ascertaining that voters name is in the register of
voter in a particular unit where such individual is registered to vote in an
election.
The
sorting process is another area where careful consideration are given after
announcing the close of voting and cancelling of all the unused ballot papers.,
where the presiding officers shall arrange the polling unit for sorting and
counting of ballots in full view of polling agents the organizers has said. The
collation and declaration of election result shall be done at all levels
depending on the type of election. With his presentation done, Barr Ademusere, head of party monitoring of INEC said that it was the duty of the polling agent to
ensure that no one jeopardizes the integrity of the election through unfair
practices hear him’’ it is your responsibility to familiarize your self with
all election determined by INEC. This he said include the electoral act of 2010 which prohibits providing food, drink or other entertainment
before, during and after election in other to influence voters, making threats, inflicting injury or other wise
intimidating voters, candidates and official highly negates the laws.
He went further that those hiding under the
name of another person or voting more than once under own name is strictly
prohibited and remains a jail able offence. More importantly he said placing
another ballot papers in the ballot box in a very serious offence, voting under
aged individuals, stealing forging, defacing or destroying registration cards
remains a criminal offence, whilst urging our community to be law abiding, he
was very optimistic that disseminating this information to this column remains
a needed tonic for those of us living in semi urban, suburb and rural places,
where the needed information is disseminated’’. That for me was some remarks
but as I reflected on international republican institute presentation, one
thing that struck my mind is the thoughts behind the whole idea.
I was in the mist of these so called
politician of different strata with different political party affiliations and
indeed, the way question was asked in more coordinated manner, seeing them
selfs as one in that gathering, gave me this understanding that politicians
could displays this etiquette when on the field, playing by the rule and
allowing issue based campaign to justify their quest of attaining leadership
position instead of using every violent means to acquire it.
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