The Independent National Electoral Commission has disclosed that a total of 153 applications were received from interested organisations seeking to be accredited as observers in the forthcoming Edo and Ondo States’ governorship elections.
The Commission said after a review as provided by its regulations and guidelines, 134 groups (124 domestic and 10 international) met the requirements for accreditation.
A statement from the electoral body further stated that in continuation of preparations for the elections, the Commission is pleased to provide an update on the accreditation of observers for the elections.
According to the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olukemi, the classification of the organisations shows that 28 are gender-based, three representing Persons with Disability, eight are faith-based, 10 foreign and over 100 others working in areas relevant to the functions of INEC, most of them with previous experience of election observation.
He said, “The next step is for the accredited organisations to upload the personal details and photographs of their field observers to our dedicated portal established for that purpose. To this end, the Commission is organising one-day training for representatives of observer groups on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 at the Commission’s Conference Room in Abuja. Access Code to the portal and letters of accreditation will be given to representatives of the accredited organisations at the training venue.
“Details of the one-day training as well as the comprehensive list of all the 134 accredited groups have been uploaded to our website and social media platforms for action by the concerned organisations and for public information.”
While the Edo State election is billed for September 21, that of the Ondo state will hold on November 16.
