INEC Okays Nov 2 For Kogi, Bayelsa Guber Polls

BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – The electorate in Kogi and Bayelsa States will go to the polls on Saturday, November 2, 2019 to choose their new governors as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has okayed the date for the conduct of gubernatorial elections in both states.

INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, Barrister Festus Okoye, who stated this in a statement issued Tuesday night in Abuja, however said official notice for both exercises will be issued on August 1, 2019.

He also said political parties that intend to sponsor candidates for the elections are expected to hold their primaries for the nomination of such candidates between Friday, August 2 and Saturday, August 29, 2019.

“The Commission at its meeting held on Tuesday approved the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the Governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States which will hold in both States on Saturday 2nd November 2019”, Okoye said.

According to him, campaigns by political parties in public shall commence on Friday, August 2, 2019 and end on Thursday, October 31, 2019 with parties sponsoring candidates expected to submit the list of their agents not later than Wednesday, October 2, 2019.

“The stated timelines are in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). All stakeholders are urged to take cognizance of and adhere strictly to them”, the statement said.

On post 2019 elections’ appraisal, Okoye hinted that the Commission has approved a proposal to conduct an extensive review and debriefing on the exercise in May 2019, in line with its existing practice, adding that this is intended to evaluate INEC’s performance of the key activities of the general elections, with a view to addressing identified challenges and strengthening operational and institutional capacities to conduct free, fair, credible and peaceful elections.

He explained that; “The review will focus on the planning, organization, conduct and coordination of the general elections, particularly on the following: Logistics, procurement and deployment of personnel and materials; Continuous Voter Registration and Collection of permanent voter’s cards; and Legal environment of the elections, particularly the legal challenges experienced over nomination of candidates and conduct of elections.

Others include; “Processes of party registration, party primaries and nomination of candidates; Quality of ad hoc staff; Relationship between the Commission and diverse stakeholders, including political parties, security agencies, civil society organizations, the media and development partners; and Quality of inclusivity of the elections, particularly regarding persons with disability, lDPs and gender balance.”

Okoye also stated that the electoral umpire is envisaging two sets of activities in the proposed reviews. These are: “lnternal reviews, involving National Commissioners, Resident Electoral Commissioners, Electoral Officers, Collation and Returning Officers, as well as other key staff of the Commission; Review meetings with key stakeholders such as political parties, civil society organizations, security agencies, the media and development partners.”

The National Commissioner further said; “These reviews and debriefing will take place between May and June 2019. The Commission has commenced work on a comprehensive report of the 2019 general elections and has mandated its Electoral Institute to undertake detailed researches into various aspects of the elections. It is the Commission’s hope that the outcomes of these reviews and studies will feed into further electoral reforms and its preparations for impending and future elections.”