A lot of activity has been going on concerning the coming elections. Political parties are jostling and strategising and preparations are surfacing all over the place. As all these activities are going on, the Independent National Electoral Commission is also preparing for her officiating responsibilities. In order to ensure that all possible angles are well covered. the commission has started the registration of election observers.
Election observers are people that go the polling units on election day and observe the conduct of the exercise. they then later give a detailed report of how the exercise went with advices and/or suggestions on how the difficulties can be overcome in subsequent elections.
Election observers are usually volunteers (individuals or organisations) or government agencies from across the globe that are concerned about the state of governance and democracy. INEC will encourage Observers to verify the success and limitations of these arrangements. While INEC is the only body legally empowered to monitor elections in Nigeria, Observers are essential in verifying that voters exercise their franchise in an environment of freedom and fairness, free from coercion, intimidation or violence. They are also to witness whether or not the results announced fairly reflect the votes counted. INEC has made arrangements for proper and efficient accreditation of Observers to facilitate their ease of movement around the country before, during and after, the elections. A Unit has been created to liaise with and ensure hitch-free accreditation and facilitation for Observers.
To have an idea of the requirements for being an election observer in Nigeria, read this guideline from INEC on election observeation.
For election observers that want to register for the coming Ekiti and Osun State Governorship Elections download the forms from here:
Ekiti: http://inecnigeria.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Ekiti-State.pdf
Osun: http://inecnigeria.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Osun-State.pdf