By HeapNews
Ahead of the upcoming Ondo State Governorship Election scheduled for November 16, 2024, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced an extensive three-day training for Presiding Officers (POs) and Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs) on polling and counting procedures. The training, which began on November 8, 2024, was organized by the Electoral Institute (TEI) to ensure that officials are well-prepared to conduct a transparent and efficient election process.
The training covers various aspects of the polling and counting process, including the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), filling form EC8A, and real-time reporting through the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal and the INEC Security Alert and Notification System (INEC-SANS). Corp members, former corps members, and final-year students from federal tertiary institutions are among the participants.
During a monitoring visit, Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, Chair of the Board of Electoral Institute, emphasized the importance of the training for election integrity, saying, “This training aims to ensure efficiency and effectiveness among Polling Officials on Election Day.” He reminded participants of the IReV portal’s function, stating, “This platform is solely for viewing election results and does not imply result transmission.”
He also encouraged participants to uphold core values of transparency, honesty, and accountability. “The virtues of transparency and accountability are the foundation of free, fair, credible, and inclusive elections,” he said. “We are counting on you to perform excellently as Polling Officials.”
Dr. Sa’ad Umar Idris, Director General of the Electoral Institute, conveyed a goodwill message urging participants to stay attentive and actively engage with the training. “We expect you to develop a thorough understanding of BVAS to enhance voter satisfaction on Election Day,” he noted. He further encouraged the use of INEC’s E-School and E-Bot platforms for continuous learning and preparation.
The training, held across Ondo State’s 18 LGAs, will conclude with a hands-on simulation on the third day, helping officials prepare for the real-time processes they will encounter on Election Day.