INEC: ASUU, FG Face-off Serious Threat To 2019 Polls

Cat:

Related stories

What Europe’s response to a no-deal with Trump could look like

Brussels is preparing for a no-deal scenario as uncertainty...

Oil Prices Climb Amid U.S.-EU Trade Hopes and Russian Export Restrictions

Oil prices climbed Friday amid U.S.-EU trade progress, a...

U.S. Refiners Rethink Crude Sourcing After Chevron Gets Venezuela Green Light

U.S. refiners are reassessing Latin American crude sourcing strategies...

Presidency, Kwankwaso Clash Over Claims of Northern Marginalization

• Kwankwaso: "Tinubu is Starving North of Development, Prioritizing...

Natasha Faces Full Suspension as Senate Goes on Recess

By Abiola Olawale  Indications have emerged that suspended Senator Natasha...

The ongoing strike action by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) poses a serious threat to the conduct of the 2019 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said.

INEC expressed the concern as the face off between the university teachers and the Federal Government lingers as it has hampered the recruitment of over one million ad-hoc staffers required for election duties, especially, students from Tertiary institutions.

INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Voter Education Committee, Barrister Festus Okoye expressed the worries on Thursday at a seminar in Abuja on the theme, “Media and Gender Sensitive Reporting of Elections.

Okoye revealed that the Commission is presently organizing ROOT training for serving youth corps members that would be deployed as presiding officers and want to commence the ROOT training of students in the various institutions of higher learning, but the continued strike has made this impossible.

He therefore called on ASUU and the Federal Government “to quickly and genuinely resolve the lingering impasse that has led to uncertainty in the education sector.”

He said: “It is next to impossibility for the members of the National Youth Service Corps to provide all the ad-hoc staff needs and requirement of the Commission and over 70 per cent of the ad-hoc staff requirements in some states of the federation are drawn from students of Federal Tertiary institutions, hence the lingering strike by ASUU will no doubt have  serious  impact on the preparations for the conduct of the 2019 elections.”

“It is important that students of Federal Tertiary institutions should and must be in school at least a month before the February 16 Presidential and National Assembly elections. They are a critical resource and their absence will have adverse effect on the ad-hoc requirements of the Independent National Electoral Commission,”Okoye said.

Barrister Okoye also disclosed that the over 1 million staff would function as returning officers, collation officers, supervisory presiding officers, presiding officers and assistant presiding officers.

On the role of the media in the coverage of the elections, Okoye said: “For the media to cover disseminate and report election activities in an objective and professional manner, it is imperative for INEC to constantly interact with, explain and be upfront in providing information to the media to avoid speculation , suspicion and rumor mongering especially at this critical period.”

He said “INEC is wrapped around exclusivity and believes in the doctrine of not leaving any segment of the society in elections and providing a level playing field for all stakeholders in all stages of the electoral process.”

Hamilton Nwosa
Hamilton Nwosa
Hamilton Nwosa is an experienced, and committed communication, business, administrative, data and research specialist . His deep knowledge of the intersection between communication, business, data, and journalism are quite profound. His passion for professional excellence remains the guiding principle of his work, and in the course of his career spanning sectors such as administration, tourism, business management, communication and journalism, Hamilton has won key awards. He is a delightful writer, researcher and data analyst. He loves team-work, problem-solving, organizational management, communication strategy, and enjoys travelling. He can be reached at: hamilton_68@yahoo.com

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

Latest stories

NDN
Latest News
What Europe's response to a no-deal with Trump could look likeOil Prices Climb Amid U.S.-EU Trade Hopes and Russian Export RestrictionsU.S. Refiners Rethink Crude Sourcing After Chevron Gets Venezuela Green LightPresidency, Kwankwaso Clash Over Claims of Northern MarginalizationNatasha Faces Full Suspension as Senate Goes on RecessGovernor mourns as Emir of Gusau, Ibrahim Bello, Dies at 712027: INEC Receives 10 New Applications, Brings total to 144 Seeking Registration As PartiesAnxieties as Congo's Ex-President Faces Trial in Court High-Stakes Treason, Murder ChargesBillionaires’ Fortunes Plummet, Elon Musk, Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani Lose $19.8 Billion in Single DayAkpabio vs Natasha: High-Stakes Drama as Immigration Officers Seize, Release Natasha's Passport at Abuja Airport Peter Obi’s Dangerous Game By AZU ISHIEKWENEFrench president sues Candace Owens over claims his wife is a manTotalEnergies Warns of Looming Oil GlutFrench Company Secures Ownership of DStv, GOtv in $3 Billion MultiChoice Deal2027 Calculations: Tinubu's Minister, Nentawe Yilwatda Takes Over as APC National Chairman, Succeeds Ganduje
X whatsapp