INEC releases regulations,  guidelines for 2019 elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) last night released regulations and guidelines for the conduct of next month general elections.

In the document signed by INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu and dated January 12, 2019, it revealed that accreditation of voters and voting would hold simultaneously between 8-2pm.

The section on the method of voting also prescribed that the Permanent Voters Cards and Smart Card Reader shall remain instruments of identification of prospective voters.

The section reads in part: “Method of Voting”

Voting at appropriate Polling Units

Persons allowed into the Polling Unit 9.

(a) At 7:30 am, the Presiding Officer of a Polling Unit/Voting Point Settlement or the Assistant Presiding Officer (VP) in the case of a Voting Point shall cross-check the adequacy of materials.

(b) At 8:00 am, Presiding Officer shall:

(i) declare the Polling Unit open for accreditation and voting;

(ii) allow voters into the Polling Unit in an orderly queue;

(iii) introduce the poll officials, polling agents and observers  present;

(iv) separate the queue between men and women, where the culture  does not allow the mingling of men and women;

(v) create a separate queue for PWDs, and (vi) explain the accreditation and voting procedures to all present.

In accordance with Section 49 (2) of the Electoral Act, a person intending to vote shall be verified to be the same person on the Register of Voters by use of the Smart Card Reader (SCR) in the manner prescribed in these Regulations and Guidelines.

(b) Any poll official who violates the provision of Clause 10 (a) shall be deemed to be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to prosecution.

(c) Accreditation and voting shall commence at 8.00am and close at 2:00 pm, provided that all voters already on the queue by 2:00 pm shall be allowed for accreditation and voting.

(d) The accreditation process shall comprise reading of the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) and authentication of the voter’s fingerprint using the SCR; checking of the Register of Voters and inking of the cuticle of the specified finger of the voter.

(e) The voter shall present himself/herself to the APO (III) for the Polling Unit, Voting Point Settlement or Voting Point who shall:

ALSO READ: INEC removes names of 109 non-Nigerians from voter register

i. determine that he/she is at the correct Polling Unit or Voting Point Settlement or Voting Point;

ii. confirm that the voter has not voted anywhere by inspection of the cuticle of the fingernails, and if satisfied direct the voter to the APO I; and

iii. upon inspection of the PVC held by the voter, if the APO III discovers that the PVC is not for the Polling Unit, the APO III will advise the voter to proceed to the appropriate Polling Unit or Voting Point Settlement or Voting Point.”

The guidelines also revealed the abolition of Incident Form for prospective voters whose fingerprints were not recognised by the Smart Card Readers but created a window through which such prospective voters would be allowed to exercise their franchise. According to the document, such voter shall be requested to thumbprint the appropriate box in the Register of Voters.

“Where a voter’s PVC is read but his/her fingerprint is not authenticated, the APO I shall refer the voter to the APO II who shall:

(i) request the voter to thumbprint the appropriate box in the Register of Voters;

(ii) request the voter to provide his/her phone number in the appropriate box in the Register of Voters;

(iii) continue with the accreditation of the voter; and

(iv) refer the voter to the PO or APO (VP) for the issuance of ballot paper(s).”