The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has insured all its staff and the 20,974 ad hoc staff that will be deployed for the September 19 governorship election in Edo State against death and election hazards.
INEC also said comprehensive insurance has been put in place for all its staff members that would be deployed to Ondo for the October 10 governorship election in the state.
This was revealed by Festus Okoye, the commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee an in interview with The Punch on Saturday, September 12, 2020.
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Due to the fear that the forthcoming elections in Edo state may be marred by violence, the commission, security agencies, prominent individuals, and organizations to sue for peace over the election in which over 14 political parties participate.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been canceling and accusing each other of planning to foment trouble during the election.
To stem the tide of politically motivated violence in the state, the Oba of Benin, Oba Eheneden Erediauwa Ewuare II, had on Wednesday, September 2, cautioned the candidates of the two major parties, Governor Godwin Obaseki of the PDP and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the APC in a meeting stakeholders at his palace.
The monarch described the politicians’ utterances and activities during the electioneering as immature.
It’s against this background that the INEC assured its staff members of its commitment to their safety in the forthcoming election.
Speaking on the insurance plan for its personnel, INEC’s national commissioner said,
“All the ad hoc staff engaged by the commission for the purposes of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections will be covered by insurance and it’s comprehensive insurance covering deaths, accidents, and other election hazards. It’s group insurance that covers every individual given a contract by the commission as ad hoc staff. The staff of the commission is already covered and there is no need to cover them a second time.”