The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the training of Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) ahead of the constituencies by-election holding on Feb. 26 in Plateau, Cross River, Imo and Ondo states.
The commission in a bulletin made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja, said the training was on polling and counting procedures in preparation for the by-elections.
The by-elections include Akure North/South Federal Constituencies in Ondo State; Pankshin State Constituency and Jos North Senatorial District, Plateau State; Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, Cross River; as well as Ngor Okpala State Constituency, Imo State.
It noted that the two days training which commenced on Monday was being organised by the Electoral Institute.
It stated that the objective of the training was to ensure that participants could demonstrate the ability to organise and conduct training on polling and counting and effectively perform the electoral functions of SPOs.
This, according to the Commission, should be conducted in line with the first Supplementary Guidelines and Regulations to Elections and the INEC Policy on Conducting Elections in the Context of COVID -19 Pandemic.
According to it, the training was declared open by the Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) in their respective states.
The RECs, according to it, urged the participants not to view the training as familiar as there’s always something new to learn, reiterating the need for them to accord the training the high sense of seriousness it deserves.
It quoted the Director-General TEI, Dr Sa’ad Idris, in his goodwill message represented by the coordinating trainers at the various training centres, advising them to be non partisan in the discharge of their duties.
Idris also advised the participants to ask questions where necessary, highlighting the importance of training so as to ensure quality step down of the training for Presiding Officers (POs) and Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs).
He stressed that the training will highlight among others; the Voters Code of Conduct for Elections during the COVID-19 Pandemic as well as interrogate new innovations introduced by the Commission into the Electoral process to ensure transparency and credibility of election.
These include the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System device (BVAS) for accreditation of Voters and the use of iREV (INEC Result viewing portal) in the Upload of Polling Unit Results (scanned form EC 8A) for Public View.
“The SPOs will also be exposed to INEC Security Alert and Notification System (INEC-SANS) application designed to provide real time notification on threats and violence against INEC staff on Election duty or INEC.” Idris said.(NAN)