Ondo, Edo : INEC lists conditions for campaign rallies

INEC lists conditions for campaign rallies in Ondo, Edo state

INEC lists conditions for campaign rallies in Ondo,Edo state

Ondo, Edo : INEC lists conditions for campaign rallies

We gathered that in Ondo and Edo States, INEC has set strict criteria that must be met by political parties before holding public rallies for the Edo and Ondo state governorship polls.

The Independent National Electoral Commission took this step as a way of helping to curb the rising COVID-19 cases in the country.

In an interview, the commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman (Information and Voter Education Committee), Festus Okoye, said that before holding any rally, political parties must give INEC a seven-day notice.

The criteria, it was gathered, were aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 at the rallies.

While condemning a concert held by a hip-hop artiste, Azeez Fashola, alias Naira Marley at the Jabi Lake Mall, Abuja on June 13, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on June 15 warned Nigerians to avoid rallies of any category.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control  Director-General, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said such gatherings could lead to a further spike in COVID-19 cases.

Okoye said that INEC had informed political parties that their guidelines for campaigns must conform with the NCDC protocols, including social distancing and use of face masks.

Warning against crowded rallies, the INEC commissioner said,

“Political parties are encouraged to develop appropriate guidelines for the conduct of rallies and campaigns taking into consideration all the guidelines and protocols developed by health authorities at the national and state levels.

Where there are conflicts between political parties’ guidelines on the conduct of rallies and campaigns and those issued by the commission, the commission shall draw the attention of the political parties to the discrepancies.”

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He recalled that the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, had on June 9, issued supplementary regulations and guidelines for rallies and campaigns by parties, aspirants, candidates and their supporters in line with the commission’s policy on conducting elections in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Okoye stated,

“It is mandatory for political parties intending to hold rallies and campaigns to notify the commission, through the electoral officer at the local government level or the resident electoral commissioner at the state level.

The notification shall be by a notice, transmitted electronically and in hard copies giving details of the public rallies, meetings, processions or public gathering not later than seven days to the date of the event.”

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