INEC Shuts Down Activities Nationwide

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended all regular and non-essential activities in its headquarters in Abuja and offices nationwide following rising cases of coronavirus disease in the country.

The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Festus Okoye, disclosed this yesterday. He however said the new measures do not affect the activities for Edo and Ondo governorship elections scheduled for September 19 and October 10 this year respectively. He said the measure is in view of the coronavirus pandemic and the preventive and containment measures put in place by the federal and state governments and also in line with the advisory on social distancing from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

 “The regular quarterly meetings with stakeholders, namely political parties, civil society organisations, the media, security agencies and all other meetings, have been suspended until such a time when normalcy returns. “In addition, the commission will no longer monitor the conventions, congresses, conferences or meetings of political parties until further notice,” Okoye said. He reiterated the commission’s commitment to openness, consultation and continued communication with its stakeholders and expects all to understand the emergency situation that informed the suspension of contact engagements. He said the health and wellbeing of all INEC staff, officials and the general public are of paramount importance to the commission’s management.