January 11, 2024
By Milcah Tanimu
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the accreditation process for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) interested in observing the upcoming rerun and by-election on February 3. Interested parties are encouraged to apply through the online portal by January 17, as announced by Hauwa Habib, the acting Director of Electoral Party Monitoring at INEC, in a notice issued in Abuja on Thursday.
Applicants are required to complete the application form on the designated portal: http://observergroups.inecnigeria.org. Habib emphasized that this application process, outlined in the prescribed form (EC14A(l)), is the sole accepted method of application, irrespective of any prior correspondence with the commission.
Habib cautioned observer groups to ensure the inclusion of crucial information, such as legal status (registration with CAC), evidence of registration with the Civil Society Desk at INEC-Headquarters, and proof of registration for previous election observations with INEC. Additionally, acknowledgment of the submission of observation reports, if applicable, must accompany the application.
She stressed the importance of honesty, warning that any falsification of documents would result in automatic disqualification and potential prosecution. The deadline for the submission of applications is January 17, 2024.
Habib disclosed that the by-elections and reruns will fill vacancies across two senatorial districts, four federal constituencies, and three state constituencies in nine states. These elections are a response to directives from various election petition appeal tribunals arising from the 2023 general elections.
A total of 35 constituencies are affected by these court-ordered elections, with some covering entire constituencies and others involving only specific polling units. Both categories of elections are scheduled to take place simultaneously in all affected constituencies on Saturday, February 3, 2024.
INEC’s upcoming reruns and by-elections in February 2024 aim to address existing vacancies in both state and federal legislatures across the country.