INEC trains staff on election management, practices

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday, March 29, in Kaduna opened a three-day workshop for electoral officers responsible for monitoring elections and political parties.

The INEC training is being supported by the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) to train the staff on Party Management and Administration ahead of 2023 polls.

Mr Aminu Idris, INEC’s Director, Election, and Party Monitoring said at the opening of the workshop that, the participants were drawn from INEC offices in the 19 Northern states.

Idris said the workshop was to build the capacity of the staff to effectively monitor political parties to improve the electoral process ahead of 2023 general polls.

He noted that proper monitoring of the activities of political parties, including congresses and primaries, would minimize litigation and internal crisis.

The director said the participants would be introduced to new techniques for monitoring political parties for a smooth electoral process in 2023.

Mr Sylvestre Somo, ECES Senior Project Officer, in a goodwill message, said that the workshop would improve the skills of INEC staff in monitoring election and political parties, to enhance the electoral process.

Read also: INEC pledges hitch-free process in Abia by-election

“The workshop which seeks to improve the skills of the staff of election and party monitoring department of INEC in political management is another major step towards improving the Nigeria electoral process,” he added.

He noted that political parties, being primary stakeholders in the electoral process with the constitutional power to present candidates for elective offices and solicit votes during elections, needed to be monitored and be guided to ensure transparency.

“Political parties and candidates are expected to adhere to all the electoral procedures and laws, including the electoral code of conduct in order to reinforce the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.

“Hence, the need to effectively monitor the parties and exercise required oversight functions as prescribed in the Constitution and the Electoral Act.

“It is, therefore, a matter of consolation that this workshop has been put together to strengthen the capacity of the EMB staffs in political parties management and administration.

“It is our hope that the knowledge to be gained at this workshop will help in repositioning political parties to play effectively their role and contribute to the integrity and fairness of the electoral process,” Somo added.

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