Lagos Bye-Election: INEC Tasks Journalists on professionalism, enlighten voters to vote right
By Trek Africa Newspaper
L-R: Mr. Femi Akinbiyi, INEC, Lagos state PRO, Dr. Adekunle Ladipo Ogunmola, INEC Supervising National Commissioner in charge of Lagos, Ogun and Ondo States, Mr. Sam Olumekun, Hon. Resident Electoral Commissioner, Lagos state and Mr. James Oludele Popoola, Administrative Secretary, INEC, Lagos state.
…Social distancing, use of face mask a must
As Lagos East Senatorial District and Kosofe Constituency II House of Assembly bye-elections holds today, Saturday, 5th December, 2020, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Lagos- Nigeria has tasked the journalists and other media professionals who would be on duty to adhere to professional standards, enlighten voters to vote base on their voting right and not to sell their votes.
INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Sam Olumekun, disclosed this at a news conference on Friday in Lagos ahead of the bye-elections scheduled to hold across the five local council Areas of Somolu, Kosofe, Ikorodu, Epe and Ibeju-Lekki.
Olumekun urged all eligible voters to adhere strictly to COVID-19 protocols, said that “there will not be use of mass face mask where multiple people will use one face mask and must maintain social distance as well”.
According to him, the number also includes 84 Registration Area (Ward) Collation Officers, comprising 71 for Lagos East Senatorial District, six for Kosofe Constituency II and two Constituency Collation/Returning Officers. Giving the delimitation of Lagos East Senatorial District, Olumekun said that the district had five Local Government Areas (LGAs) with 1, 978 polling units, 71 wards, and 1,343,448 registered voters.
In admonition, Sam Olumekun said the critical role that the media plays during electioneering processes is appreciated, assured the safety of voters, media is guaranteed and the security agency will be on grounds to ensure safety across the state. He also enjoined, other stakeholders, especially the security agencies to undertake the performance of their tasks in a civil and responsible manner.
“This election is not a state-wide election, so the atmosphere within the five councils where the elections will take place will reflect basic and essential activities associated with the conduct of an election. It’s the first election in the state since the pandemic and we promised to make it the best election. Since the aftermath of the EndSars protest, reason for the shift of the election in the first instance, security agencies have assured that they will be up with their duties. Therefore it’s very important for journalists covering the bye-elections to be guided by the existing ethics of professional coverage of elections as well as to be safety conscious in the discharge of their duties,” Mr. Sam said.
