INEC/TEI Trains SPOs on Polling and Counting Procedures in Preparation for Bayelsa, Imo Governorship Elections on Nov 11

Oru Leonard 

The Training of Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) on Polling and Counting Procedures in Preparation for Bayelsa State Governorship Election scheduled to hold on the 11th of November 2023

The 2 days Training which commenced Monday 23rd October 2023 is organized by the Electoral Institute with the objective that at the end of the training, participants should demonstrate the ability to organize and conduct training on Polling and Counting and effectively perform the electoral functions of SPOs in line with the Regulation and Guidelines for the conduct of Elections 2022.

Furthermore and in line with Change Management principles, the Commission employed the strategy to deploy mostly its staff to function as Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) for the Bayelsa State Governorship Election.

Consequently, participants were drawn and trained at six (6) Commission state offices namely; AKWA IBOM, BAYELSA, CROSSRIVERS, DELTA, EDO and RIVERS State. This strategy guarantees professionalism and a seamless Electoral service delivery for Electorates in Bayelsa State.

The Director General TEI, Dr. Sa’ad Umar Idris in his goodwill message to participants across the six training centres, advised participants to be non partisan in the discharge of their duties. He charged participants to seek clarification where in doubts of the contents of topics to be taught highlighting the importance of the training so as to ensure quality step down of the training for Presiding Officers (POs) and Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs), he further urged the participants to acquaint themselves with the technology driven initiatives introduced into the processes and procedures of Election Day activities noting that the deployment of Commission staff to function as SPOs in an Election is an indication that the Commission would not entertain any excuse for Inefficiency. The DG also stated in his message that quality and effective training of Election personnel is a prerequisite to the conduct of free, fair, credible and Inclusive election.

The Director, Training Dr. Binta Kasim Mohammed in her remarks reiterated the importance of a quality step down of the training of Presiding officers and Assistant Presiding officers by the SPOs and expressed her confidence both in the capacity of both the Trainers and the participants to achieve this goal.

The Training will highlight among others; the technology driven initiatives introduced by the Commission into the Electoral process to ensure transparency and credibility of election such as 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 e- School, INEC Training BOT and 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 Offices & facilities.

The same training was also held at Government Boys Secondary School, along Okgwe- Owerri Road, Owerri, Imo State.

The Hon. Resident Electoral Commissioner INEC Imo State, Prof. Sylva Agu was represented by HoD Electoral Operations Esther Okorie. In her Opening remarks, the REC urged participants to take the training very seriously and ensure effective step- down of the training of Poll Officials as their performance at the Polling Unit depends on the quality of training they received. She urged participants to demonstrate commitment and be good ambassadors of the Commission as they take up this onerous task.

The Director General TEI, Dr. Sa’ad Umar Idris in his goodwill message advised participants to be above board in the discharge of their duties. He further charged participants to bring professionalism to bear by ensuring flawless service delivery in the conduct of their duties as SPOs. He highlighted the importance of the training as they are also expected to train the training of Presiding Officers (POs) and Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs) such that the overall performance of the Poll Officials on Election day would be commendable.
The DG, TEI urged the participants to acquaint themselves with the technology driven initiatives introduced into the processes and procedures of Election Day activities. He also stated in his message that quality and effective training of Election personnel is a prerequisite to the conduct of free, fair, credible and Inclusive election. The DG, TEI was represented by Administrative Secretary of TEI Mr. Tunde Ojedokun.

The 2 days Training will highlight among others; the technology driven initiatives introduced by the Commission into the Electoral process to ensure transparency and credibility of election such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System device (BVAS) for accreditation of Voters and the use of the improved 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 e- School, INEC Training BOT and 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 Offices & facilities. At the opening ceremony were the State Training officer, Assistant State Training Officer, HOD E- Operations department and TEI/HQ Trainers and Management Staff of the Electoral Institute.