Ahead of the September 21 and November 16, 2024 off-cycle governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that any staff member of the commission involved in corrupt and unethical practices would incur severe punishments under the law.
The INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said this on Monday in Abuja at the annual Prof. Abubakar Momoh Memorial Lecture, organised by The Electoral Institute (TEI), with the theme, ‘The 2024 off-cycle elections: Achieving professionalism among electoral personnel through effective training in preparation for the Edo and Ondo states governorship elections’.
Yakubu, represented by the Chairman of the Board of Electoral Institute (BEI) and INEC National Commissioner, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, said the necessity for election personnel to be knowledgeable, skilled, and equipped to handle the complexities of the electoral process and that effective training was crucial in fostering a high level of professionalism among election officials.
Dr Kole Shettima, the director of the MacArthur Foundation and TEI board member, listed a comprehensive strategy to overhaul and improve various facets of the nation’s electoral process.
He called for the integration of civic education into the training curriculum for election officials.
He also called for establishing direct links with security personnel and fostering collective responsibility among stakeholders to protect electoral materials and personnel.
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