By Joy Odor
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the Senatorial District Level Training of Election Security Personnel in preparation for the Edo State Governorship Election scheduled for 19th September, 2020.
According to the Commission, the training was oganised by the Electoral Institute to the Security personnel in all 18 Local Government Areas converged at the Senatorial District headquarters for the training.
In his opening speech by the Director General of the Electoral Institute, Dr. Sa’ad Umar Idris charged the participants to conduct themselves in line with Commission’s Guidelines and Regulations for Elections and the Code of Conduct for Security Personnel to secure the electroal process.
He disclosed that the 2 days training commenced on the following locations.
1. Edo South (Benin)
2. Edo North (Auchi)
3. Edo Central ( Ekpoma) and drawn from various Security Agencies who are members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
“Papers were presented at each of the 3 training venues:
At Edo Central, the Deputy Commandant NSCDC INEC Hq Abuja Mr Uttah William presented a paper titled: Standard Operational Guidelines and Rules of Engagement for Security personnel: The NSCDC perspective.
“However, at Edo South Senatorial District, CP Felix Gani delivered a paper on Standard Operational Guidelines and Rules of Engagement for Security Personnel: The Nigeria Police perspective.
“While at Edo North SD, the Director DSS, Mr. Yau Umar presented the DSS perspective on Standard Operational Guidelines and Rules of Engagement for Security Personnel on Election duty.
“The participants would interrogate topics such as Electoral Environment, Electoral Security Assessment, Planning and Coordination as well as Ethical Issues in Electoral Security.
“Additionally, layouts of the Polling Units, RACs and Collation Centres in line with the Commission’s First Supplementary to Regulations and Guidelines and the Commission’s Policy on Conducting Elections in the Context of Covid-19 approved and issue in May, 2020 Pandemic would be discussed” Dr ldris noted.
