Training of SPOs on Polling and Counting Procedures in preparation for the 21st Sept Edo State Governorship Election
Oru Leonard
The 3 days Training of SPOs in preparation for EDO GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION has commenced in Idia College Benin City today Friday 6th September, 2024. The training was 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 of POs/APOs on Polling and Counting procedures and effectively perform the electoral functions of SPOs in line with the Regulation and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022.
The Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute (BEI) Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru in his goodwill message through the DG, TEI thanked the Commission for approving the Training and stated that quality and effective training of Election Personnel is a prerequisite to free, fair, credible and Inclusive election. He urged the participants to acquaint themselves with the new technology driven initiatives introduced by the Commission into the processes and procedures of Election Day activities with emphasis on the update on the functionality of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
The Hon. Resident Electoral Commissioner, INEC Edo State, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha welcomed participants to the training. He advised participants to uphold a high sense of responsibility and integrity as Election officials, he also described the training as another capacity building programme and not a routine exercise as there’s always something new to learn, reiterating the need to accord the training a high sense of seriousness and to ensure that the quality of the cascade is of excellent standard especially at the cascade training of the POs/APOs who will be deployed for the Election.
The Director General TEI, Dr. Sa’ad Umar Idris was at the training centre to monitor the training of SPOs. In his remarks, the DG welcomed all participants and advised them to be non-partisan in the discharge of their duties, upheld the values of the Commission and serve with high sense of integrity and professionalism. He charged participants to ask questions where necessary, highlighting the importance of the training so as to ensure quality step down of the training of Presiding Officers (POs) and Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs). He tasked participants to ensure active participation during all the Training sessions which requires participants to acquint themselves with the new initiatives introduced by the Commission.
Topics discussed at the training includes: 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 training would also highlight polling processes and procedures.
Also present at the Training venue are the Administrative Secretary of INEC Edo State, Mr. Emmanuel Efeturi and the HOD E- Operations Mr. Frank Ogbise.
Facilitators of the training were drawn from the Electoral Institute and the Headquarters.
Cover Photo Caption: The Hon REC, EDO STATE, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, DG, TEI Dr. Sa’ad Umar Idris, and AS, EDO INEC during the monitoring of the SPO TRAINING in Benin, EDO STATE.
(INEC Media)
