EDO GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION: INEC organises capacity building for EOs and AEOs on Professional Election Management

Oru Leonard 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has organized a 5-day Capacity Building Training Programme for Electoral Officers (EOs) and Assistant Electoral Officers (AEOs) in charge of operations to ensure the Edo State Governorship Election scheduled for 21st September, 2024 meets international standards.

The training aimed at enhancing their skills in professional election management commenced on Monday, 22nd July and ends on Friday, 26th July 2024 in Benin, the Edo State capital.

After the 5-day training, EOs and AEOs who are crucial to election administration at the local government level are expected to have a comprehensive understanding of the Strategic Managerial Approach, Legal Framework, Technological Innovations, Processes and Procedures for conducting elections. Also, they should be able to effectively and efficiently organize and manage key electoral activities.

At the Opening of the training on Monday, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Board of the Electoral Institute Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru highlighted the importance of the training. He stated that it would enhance the professional conduct and managerial skills of Electoral Officers and Assistant Electoral Officers (Operations) on election duty.

The National Commissioner added that the training aims to enhance managerial skills and deepen the understanding of the guidelines and regulations for conducting elections, particularly in areas such as accreditation of voters, voting procedures, collation and transmission of results.

In his remarks, the Director General of the Electoral Institute, Dr. Sa’ad Umar Idris represented by the Director Training Dr. Binta Kasim emphasized the importance of the participants to familiarize themselves with the Commission’s processes, procedures, and innovations. He highlighted the crucial roles of Electoral Officers and Assistant Electoral Officers in conducting elections and underscored the necessity of this capacity-building workshop.

In a related development on Monday, 22nd July 2024, the Commission through The Electoral Institute (TEI) organized another workshop on Election Violence Mitigation and Advocacy Tool (EVMAT) for the upcoming Edo State Governorship Election in Benin, the Edo State capital. This workshop aimed to equip participants with the necessary skills to effectively deploy the EVMAT for the 21st September Governorship Election in the State.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the TEI Board, Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru highlighted that election violence has long been a worrisome recurrence severely impacting the electoral process. He stressed that every life is sacred and stressed that no one should die, suffer injuries, or lose valuable possessions due to elections.

The Hon. National Commissioner outlined several measures taken by the Commission to address this concerning trend, including the establishment of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCESS) and the introduction of the EVMAT. He explained that the EVMAT is designed to identify potential triggers of violence to mitigate or neutralize the possibilities of its occurrence.

Dr. Sa’ad Umar Idris, the DG of TEI harped on the importance of accurate data for successful risk mapping. He urged participants to take the workshop seriously, underlining the Commission’s commitment to conducting the Edo governorship election in a peaceful atmosphere.

(INEC Media)