The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Monday, issued a stern warning against corrupt practices by electoral officers, stressing that those found guilty would face severe consequences.
Yakubu gave the warning in Abuja, during an address honouring the former Director-General of the Electoral Institute, the late Prof. Abubakar Momoh, ahead of the upcoming Edo and Ondo off-cycle governorship elections scheduled for September 21 and November 16, 2024, respectively.
He also stressed the crucial role of professionalism and competence among election personnel in ensuring successful elections.
The focal point of this year’s lecture was “The 2024 off-cycle elections: Achieving professionalism among election personnel through effective training, in preparation for Edo and Ondo states governorship elections.”
Yakubu, represented by the Chairman of the Board of The Electoral Institute, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, said unethical behaviour by any electoral officer would not be tolerated, reiterating the commission’s dedication to upholding the law and maintaining the credibility of the electoral process.
“Unethical and corrupt practices by election officials will not be tolerated and shall incur severe punishments under the law.
“For these reasons, all election officials should be guided by a high sense of integrity, impartiality, transparency, professionalism, gender and disability sensitivity, and due consideration and support for the elderly, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and Persons with Disabilities,” Yakubu warned.
He highlighted the necessity for election personnel to be knowledgeable, skilled, and equipped to handle the complexities of the electoral process, adding that effective training was crucial in fostering a high level of professionalism among election officials.
“The success of any election largely depends on the professionalism and competence of those responsible for conducting it.
“Therefore, this lecture, which is organised in memory of the former Director General, TEI, the late Prof, Abubakar Momoh, could not have come at a better time, considering that the Edo and Ondo off-cycle governorship elections are around the corner, having been scheduled for September 21, 2024 and November 16, 2024 respectively.
“It is important that our personnel for these elections are knowledgeable, skilled, and well-equipped with relevant competencies to handle the complexities and challenges of the electoral process,” he said.
The INEC chairman noted that professionalism was essential for maintaining the integrity of the democratic process and ensuring voter confidence which, in turn, would affect voter participation and turnout.
He outlined key principles for election officials, including integrity, impartiality, transparency, professionalism, gender and disability sensitivity, and consideration for vulnerable groups.
“Hence, a high sense of professionalism amongst election personnel engendered by effective training cannot be overemphasised.
“How they discharge their duties and responsibilities affects the degree of confidence voters will have in the electoral process, which will impact their participation and turnout.
“To ensure the credibility and trustworthiness in our elections and to build trust among the electorate, we must prioritise the professional development of our election personnel,” Yakubu stated.
In his lecture, the Director of the MacArthur Foundation, Kole Shettima, made known a comprehensive strategy to overhaul and improve various facets of the electoral process.
He was specific on the integration of civic education into the training curriculum for election officials.
Stressing the importance of understanding civic duties, democracy, and the history of elections, Shettima, who doubles as a member of the Board of TEI, stressed the need for election officials to embody integrity and accountability.
He said, “Revamp the curricula of training of election officials to include civic duties, the history of elections, democracy, integrity and accountability of election officials, the role of INEC, credible elections, among others, in addition to the technical processes and procedures.
“Physical screening should be conducted before ad hoc staff are recruited and deployed. This will present a more robust check against the recruitment and deployment of unqualified persons. It is advised to recruit in partnership with institutions instead of recruiting as individuals.
“Ensure that recruited personnel possess the requisite educational qualifications. This will address challenges with a poor understanding of the electoral process and duties by ad hoc staff,” he said.
Shettima advocated for the establishment of direct links with security personnel and fostering collective responsibility among stakeholders to protect electoral materials and personnel.
The Director-General of TEI, Sa’ad Idris, attributed INEC’s successes in the 2023 elections and recent off-cycle governorship elections to substantial investments in the training and capacity enhancement of its personnel.
Idris said the effective training programmes contributed to the high level of professionalism exhibited by election personnel.
“The successes achieved by the commission in the recently conducted 2023 general elections and other off-cycle governorship elections both in 2023 and 2024 bear credence to the fact that the investment made by the commission towards enhancement of the capacities of its trainers is a step in the right direction,” he said.
Idris assured that the upcoming elections would reflect a high standard of professionalism, technical competence, and the ability to address various challenges effectively.
