Ahead of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections in September and October this year, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) has released guideline in line with the efforts to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from the two elections this year, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has the Ekiti state governorship election to prepare for in 2022 before the 2023 general election.
Before now, INEC had notified electorates and political parties that facemasks during election would be mandatory but any facemask carrying logo of political party would not be allowed around polling stations.
The National Commissioner and Chairman of Electoral Operations and Logistics Committee (EOLC), Professor Okechukwu Ibeanu, said this during a virtual consultative meeting with media organisations. “Wearing of facemasks to polling units will be compulsory, but any voter with branded facemasks will be turned back from the polling unit,” he said.
Meanwhile the newly released guidelines by the NCDC provides recommendations and actions that should be taken to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 for all voters, electoral officers, candidates and all participants, taking into consideration the current community spread of the virus in the country.
The guideline suggested that INEC develop and publicise voters’ code of conduct including what is expected of voters to adequately protect themselves from COVID-19 at polling stations, educate all election staff and volunteers on voting process and measures put in place to protect them, and also develop and publicise code of conduct for political parties including COVID-19 public health and social measures to be adhered to during campaigns and elections.
It also suggested that State Ministries of Health should create awareness and understanding of the spread of COVID-19 in the country by providing information to ensure that people in states where election will take place, are aware of the risks of contracting COVID-19 and that due to community transmission, the numbers are more likely to rise. The guidelines also advised that the States Ministries of Health should educate the general public on how to recognise the symptoms of COVID-19.
For politicians, the guidelines advised that they should publicise and adhere to codes of conduct developed by INEC, including public health and social measures expected at rallies and election locations. “This should be done through relevant communication channels – posters, TV and radio jingles.”
During campaign period the guidelines advised that INEC, in addition to the preventive measures contained in the INEC Policy on Conducting Elections in the context of COVID-19, to engage all political parties to agree on the size of campaign and duration of same in line with the guidelines of NCDC on mass gathering.
During election period, it suggested that there should be limited number of people to vote at a time to encourage physical distancing. The guidelines stated further that where necessary, the duration of elections should be increased or more polling station or booths should be added to ensure physical distancing is maintained.
Over three million electorates are expected to participate in the Edo and Ondo governorship elections, NCDC advised that all stakeholders should place a premium on the health concern for electorates by adhering strictly to the guidelines.
