October 15, 2026.
The Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) has charged election observers within the state to stay skilled, neutral and targeted on the electoral course of as they put together to watch the October 17, 2026 Local Government Elections.
The Chairman of the Commission, Hon. Mamman Nda Eri, gave the cost on Thursday, October 15, 2026, throughout a gathering with election observers on the Commission’s headquarters in Lokoja, the place he offered closing pointers for efficient election statement.
Eri cautioned the observers towards interfering within the electoral course of or making untimely pronouncements on election outcomes. He mentioned they may take images and doc occasions as proof however ought to keep away from statements able to spreading rumours or creating pointless stress.
He emphasised that the duty of observers was to watch the conduct of the election and supply goal stories that might assist the Commission enhance future electoral processes.
“Observers are responsible to KOSIEC and should be more interested in the process rather than the results,” the Chairman acknowledged.
He urged the observers to arrange complete checklists overlaying their private info, the main points of their organisations and related details about the polling items they might observe. He burdened the significance of understanding their obligations earlier than arriving at their assigned places.
On the closing time for voting, Eri defined that voters already on the queue at 3:00 p.m. must be allowed to vote. He additionally warned that vote shopping for was an electoral offence and urged observers to doc all irregularities of their stories fairly than have interaction in arguments or disputes at polling items.
The KOSIEC Chairman additional defined that election outcomes can be declared on the polling items, wards and native authorities ranges earlier than being forwarded to the Commission.
He assured the observers that the Commission wouldn’t intrude with outcomes from the sector however would formally declare the ends in accordance with the established electoral course of.
Speaking, the Chairman of the Forum of Election Observers in Nigeria, Kogi State Chapter, Comrade Idris Miliki, urged contributors to familiarise themselves with the Electoral Act in addition to the related codes of conduct guiding election statement.
Miliki suggested observers to reach at their assigned polling items early to doc the graduation of electoral actions and stay security-conscious all through the train.
He additionally urged them to make sure that their stories recognized challenges encountered at polling items and supplied sensible suggestions for addressing them, cautioning towards making untimely judgments whereas on the sector.
“It is those that are alive that can write reports,” he mentioned, stressing the necessity for observers to prioritise their private security all through the train.
Miliki additional urged KOSIEC to make sure that election supplies arrived at designated distribution centres by 8:00 a.m. on election day to facilitate a easy electoral course of.
He additionally referred to as on observers to finish and submit their stories by Monday following the election.
The assembly featured questions and solutions, throughout which contributors raised issues and supplied strategies geared toward strengthening the electoral course of and making certain efficient statement of the forthcoming native authorities elections.
Modupe Adegboro,
Information Officer, KOSIEC.
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