Posted by By JAMES OJO, Abuja on
Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] has released guidelines on how voters are expected to conduct themselves on voting day for the Saturday governorship and State House of Assembly elections, as well as elections into the six councils that make up the Federal Capital Territory [FCT] Abuja.
Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] has released guidelines on how voters are expected to conduct themselves on voting day for the Saturday governorship and State House of Assembly elections, as well as elections into the six councils that make up the Federal Capital Territory [FCT] Abuja.
According to the guidelines, polling booths would open for voting by 8a.m and remain open till 3p.m for eligible voters.
The poll clerk is expected to receive the voter and demand for the voter's card, check thumb print/fingers to ascertain that the presenter had not voted before. He will also ascertain that the photograph on the card was that of the presenter.
He is expected to check the details on the card with the one on the register and proceed to mark with blue pen on the register for the April 14 elections and red pen for the April 21 elections.
The poll clerk is expected to mark the back of the voter's card with ‘X' if the card is not laminated, while the laminated card would be punctured, following which the clerk would direct the voter to the Poll assistant that would apply indelible ink on the cuticle of the left hand thumb. For the April 21 elections, the right hand cuticle would be marked with an indelible ink as proof that the voter had voted.
The voter would be directed to the Presiding Officer, who will authenticate the voter's card and indelible mark, upon which he will stamp and sign at the back of the ballot paper before handing it to the bearer and directing him to the voting chamber.
Voters are expected to choose their candidate in secrecy by thumb printing with the right thumb in the space provided in the ballot paper for each election, before proceeding to drop the ballot paper in the ballot box in full glare of those present.
The voter is expected to leave the polling station immediately after casting his or her vote.