Headlinenews.news reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on civil society organisations (CSOs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) interested in observing the February rerun and by-election to submit applications through an online portal by January 17.
This announcement was made in a notice by Mrs. Hauwa Habib, the acting Director of Electoral Party Monitoring (EPM), in Abuja.
Mrs. Habib advised interested organizations to visit (http://observergroups.inecnigeria.org) and complete the application form, emphasizing that this is the only accepted means of application and should be done without prejudice to any previous correspondence with the commission.
She outlined the necessary accompanying information, including legal status (registration with CAC), evidence of registration with the Civil Society Desk at INEC headquarters, and acknowledgment of previous election observation submissions. Mrs. Habib warned against document falsification, stating that it could lead to automatic disqualification and possible prosecution.
The deadline for submission is January 17, 2024, and the list of approved observer groups will be published on INEC’s website and the EPM observers’ WhatsApp platform.
Mrs. Habib noted that the vacancies for the by-election/rerun polls occurred in two senatorial districts, four Federal constituencies, and three state constituencies across nine states. These elections were mandated by election petition appeal tribunals following the previous year’s general election. A total of 35 constituencies are affected, with three covering entire constituencies and others involving specific polling units. Both categories of elections are scheduled for Saturday, February 3.
