The Training of Presiding Officers (POs) and Assistant Presiding Officers on Polling and Counting Procedures in preparation for the Ondo Governorship Election scheduled for 10th October 2020 commenced on Monday 28th September.
The three-day training, which is being conducted in all the 18 Local Government Areas of Ondo State, is intended to equip the participants with the ability to conduct Polling and Counting Procedures and effectively perform other electoral functions of the PO and APO, in line with the First Supplementary Guidelines and Regulations to Elections and the INEC Policy on Conducting Elections in the Context of COVID-19 pandemic.
Participants at the training are mainly National Youth Service Corp Members (NYSC) serving in the state. Others include ex-Corp Members and final year students of federal tertiary Institutions.
The Training will focus on Polling Date and Time, Code of Conduct of Electoral Officials, Electoral Materials, Sorting, Counting and Announcement of Results. Filling of form EC8A, the Use of the Smart Card Reader and Uploading of the Result to Portal using the Z-pad.
The Director General of the Electoral Institute, Dr Sa’ad Idris who is on a monitoring exercise of the training in all 18 LGAs accompanied by the Director, Research and Documentation Dr. Ibrahim Sani, urged the participants to pay due attention to the training and ask questions where necessary.
He underscored the need for compulsory wearing of face mask at all Polling Units and the observance of other Protocols of the COVID-19 Pandemic, as contained in the Voter Code of Conduct for the election. Idris further advised participants to be above board while on Election duty as POs/APOs to ensure free, fair and credible Election on the 10th October.