The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced a two-day refresher training for political parties on the use of its Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP).
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, INEC Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, said the initiative aims to enhance the capacity of political parties and minimise procedural errors during the nomination of candidates.
The training is designed to build on previous election cycle achievements and promote a more efficient, transparent, and technology-driven nomination process ahead of forthcoming by-elections and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council polls.
Eta-Messi quoted May Agbamuche-Mbu, National Commissioner and Chairperson of the Legal Services, Clearance and Complaints Committee (LSC&CC), as underscoring the critical role of accurate and timely nominations.
“Nomination of candidates is not only a statutory obligation as provided in Section 29 of the Electoral Act, 2022, but it is the very foundation upon which elections are conducted,” she stated.
“An error in the submission of personal particulars of candidates by political parties can be potentially detrimental to both the party and its candidate.”
While acknowledging the progress made with the ICNP in reducing paperwork and enhancing compliance, Agbamuche-Mbu noted that parties still grapple with challenges such as incomplete form submissions, improper document attachments, and high turnover of personnel managing the process.
“This refresher training is designed to bridge those gaps and ensure that both returning and newly appointed party officials have the knowledge and skills necessary for a smooth nomination process,” she added.
She urged officials to take full advantage of the training, noting, “Our collective preparedness is a determinant of the overall success of the electoral process.”
Samuel Omale, Assistant Director in the Legal Drafting and Clearance Department, explained that the refresher session serves as a strategic intervention to deepen the capacity of political party officials ahead of the FCT and by-elections.
“The objective is to refresh political parties on the approved Guidelines for the Nomination of Candidates as outlined in the Electoral Act, 2022, while equipping them with practical knowledge of the nomination process,” he said.
He added that the training features live demonstrations to improve understanding of INEC’s internal procedures and ensure correct and timely submissions via the ICNP.
Omale expressed confidence that the training would result in improved use of the portal, greater accuracy in data entry, and a stronger working relationship between the commission and political parties.
“Ultimately, this is about ensuring that we reduce errors and build confidence in the nomination process going forward,” he said.
(NAN)