Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee Mr. Sam Olumekun on Sunday warned political parties sponsoring candidates in the 11 November 2023 to upload names of their Polling Units and Collation agents before 12:00 midnight on Tuesday 10th October 2023.

Similarly, media organisations that intend to cover the off – season election and are yet to apply online for the accreditation of their Journalists should do so on or before 22 October 2023.

Mr. Olumekun said :”For Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States, only 55% of the expected total of 189,180 polling unit agents have been uploaded to the designated INEC Portal. Specifically, 29,278 out of the expected 40,372 (72.5%) for Bayelsa State; 51,681 out of 85,644 (60.3%) for Imo, and 23,720 out of 63,144 (37.6%) for Kogi State have been uploaded.

“Similarly, only 25.1% of the expected 15,804 Collation Agents in the three States have been uploaded:1,246 (26.0%) out of 4,806 for Bayelsa; 1,638 (27.3%) out of 5,994 for Imo, and 1,095 (21.9%) out of 5,004 for Kogi State.

The INEC National Commissioner reminded Political Parties that the portal will automatically shut down at 12:00 midnight on Tuesday 10th October 2023 and there shall be no extension of the upload stressing that all parties sponsoring candidates for the elections that are yet to upload the list of their agents should do so before the deadline for the exercise.

On the online accreditation of Journalists which commenced on 24th August 2023 ,Mr. Olumekun said the exercise will close on 22nd October 2023 stressing that so far, only 45 media organisations have applied for accreditation.

The Commission also expressed concern on the spate of insecurity and violence, including clashes among supporters of Political Parties and candidates in the forthcoming elections.

” In our engagement with Political Parties, the Commission has constantly called on parties to rein in their supporters from actions capable of jeopardizing the peaceful conduct of elections in Nigeria. INEC earnestly appeal to all Political Parties and candidates to avoid utterances and acts that may heat up the polity.

” The Commission will continue to closely monitor the situation and sustain its engagement with security agencies and stakeholders to ensure a peaceful conduct of elections in the three States”, he said.