INEC information for Nigerians

Nigeria: As Nigerians go out to vote for their presidential candidates today, the National Electoral commission (INEC) has put out a video for electorates to follow the normal and right election processes. Also a video to show how voters can vote and do their accreditation is posted alongside the voters education.

 

             ELECTION VOte

VOTING

• Voting will take place on a date to be determined by the INEC.

 

ACCREDITATION

• Polling units will be open from 8 am.

• Polling units will open at 8 am for Accreditation and close at 1.00pm

• Voting starts 1:30 pm.

• You must vote in the same Polling Unit you completed your Voter Registration.

 

THE VOTER- WHO IS HE/SHE?

• S/He is a Nigerian citizen.

• S/He is 18 years and above.

• S/He has registered in the constituency where he intends to vote.

• S/He possesses a registration card obtained during voters’ registration.

 

HOW VOTER CAN VERIFY REGISTRATION

• A voter is expected to check the register of voters to ascertain that his name is included.

• That his name was correctly spelt and written.

• This is done when the register is displayed for inspection.

 

PERSONS WHO CANNOT VOTE

• The following persons cannot vote at election.

• All persons below the age of 18 years.

• All non-Nigerians.

• All persons who did not register as voters.

• All persons who do not hold a voter registration card.

• All persons whose names are not in the voters register.

 

WHERE TO VOTE

• Voting takes place at polling stations/units.

• A voter is expected to cast his vote at the polling unit where his name is on the voter  register.

• A voter is expected to identfy his polling station where his name is on the voter register.

• A polling unit nearest to the residence of the voter.

 

HOW TO VOTE:

• Voting will be by Open Secret Ballot System.

• Your vote is secret because no one will see which candidate you choose.

• You will mark your ballot behind a polling screen secretly.

• Apply your finger print only in one circle/space which corresponds to the candidate of your choice.

 

PROCEDURE: PREPARING FOR VOTING:

• The Presiding Officer (PO) shall:

• Explain the voting procedure to the voters.

• Invite all voters accreditated to form a single queue.

• Where culture does not allow men and women to mingle in a queue, separate queues are created for men and women.

• The PO shall count loudly the number of accredited voters in the queue, and record the number.

 

COMMENCEMENT OF VOTING:

• At the commencement of voting, the PO shall:

• Invite the voters on queue to approach the poll clerk (PC) in an orderly manner.

• On presentation of voter’s card, the PC shall:

• Check appropriate cuticle thumbnail of voter and when he is satisfied that the person has been duly accredited.

• Tick the voters’ register on the right hand side of voter’s name.

• Indicating that he has voted.

• Apply indelible ink on the cuticle of the voter’s appropriate thumbnail.

• The Poll Assistant (PA) shall apply ink to the next finger of the respective hand

• Voters who have no Right/Left hand, the PA shall:

• Apply the ink to the corresponding toes of the voter’s Right/Left foot.

• Voters have neither fingers nor toes:

• Ink shall be applied on the corresponding toes of the persons assisting them.

 

ISSUANCE OF BALLOT PAPER AND VOTING:

• The voter shall present himself to the Polling official (PO).

• The PO  shall stamp and sign the back of ballot paper.

• Fold the ballot paper vertically with the printed side inwards.

• Issue the signed, stamped ballot paper to the voter.

• The voter moves to the voting cuticle.

• Mark the ballot paper in the space provided beside the party logo of the voters’ choice

• Fold the ballot paper.

• Deposit the marked ballot paper into the ballot box.

• Marking of ballot paper by voter must be done in secret.

• Depositing the ballot paper in the ballot box in open view of all persons present.

• Only one voter at a time to the voting cubicle.

 

OFFENCES ON ELECTION DAY:

PART VIII SC. 129 (1) states that:

1. No person shall on the date an election is held do any of the following acts or things in a polling unit or within a distance of 300 metres of a polling unit-

(a) Canvass for votes;

(b) Solicit for the vote of any voter

(c) Persuade any voter not to vote for any particular candidate;

(d) Persuade any voter not to vote at any election;

(e) Shout slogans concerning the election;

(f) Be in possession of any offensive weapon or wear any dress or have any facial or other decoration which in any event is calculated to intimidate voters;

(g) Exhibit, wear or tender any notice, symbol photograph or party card referring to the election;

(h) Use any vehicle bearing the colour or symbol of a political party by any means whatever;

(i) Loiter without lawful excuse after voting or after being refused to vote;

(j) Snatch or destroy any election materials; and

(k) Blare siren

“Any person who contravens any of the provisions of this section commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of N100,000 or imprisonment for 6 months for every such offence”.

 Watch INEC Election process here :

          

Culled from the INEC Website

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