Avoid Provocative Actions Ahead Off-Cycle Elections -INEC

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a call to political parties and candidates participating in the upcoming off-cycle elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states, urging them to refrain from making provocative statements or engaging in actions that could incite violence.

Gatekeepers News reports in a statement released on Sunday, Sam Olumekun, the national commissioner and chairman of the information and voter education committee at INEC, emphasised the need for all political parties to ensure that their supporters act in a manner that promotes peaceful and fair elections in Nigeria.

The off-cycle polls are scheduled for November 11, 2023, and INEC is expressing concern over the increasing levels of insecurity and violence, particularly clashes among supporters of various political parties and candidates in the run-up to the elections.

“In our engagement with political parties, the commission has constantly called on parties to rein in their supporters from actions capable of jeopardizing the peaceful conduct of elections in Nigeria,” the statement reads.

“INEC earnestly appeal to all political parties and candidates to avoid utterances and acts that may heat up the polity.

“The commission will continue to closely monitor the situation and sustain its engagement with security agencies and stakeholders to ensure a peaceful conduct of elections in the three states.”

Additionally, INEC has pointed out that political parties have not fully submitted the lists of their agents for the upcoming elections.

The commission stated that only 55 percent of the expected names have been submitted, and it urged political parties to complete their submissions by October 10.

“The commission notified all political parties of the opening of its online portal for the upload of the list of polling units and collation centre agents, which commenced on Thursday 24th August 2023,” the statement reads.

“The commission thereafter engaged party representatives on the methodology for a seamless process.

“However, despite this notice and subsequent reminders, political parties are yet to substantially comply by submitting the list of their agents.

“For Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states, only 55% of the expected total of 189,180 polling unit agents have been uploaded to the designated INEC portal.

“Specifically, 29,278 out of the expected 40,372 (72.5%) for Bayelsa State; 51,681 out of 85,644 (60.3%) for Imo, and 23,720 out of 63,144 (37.6%) for Kogi State have been uploaded.

“Similarly, only 25.1% of the expected 15,804 collation agents in the three states have been uploaded: 1,246 (26.0%) out of 4,806 for Bayelsa; 1,638 (27.3%) out of 5,994 for Imo, and 1,095 (21.9%) out of 5,004 for Kogi State.

“The commission hereby wishes to further remind political parties that the portal will automatically shut down at 12:00 midnight on Tuesday 10th October 2023. There shall be no extension.

“Consequently, all parties sponsoring candidates for the elections that are yet to upload the list of their agents should do so before the deadline for the exercise.”