COVID-19: INEC, APC shutdown activities for 2 weeks

Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced a total shutdown of all activities for two weeks in their desperation to check the spread of Coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking to newsmen at the party’s national secretariat, the national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, said it was a measure to protect the staff from the dreaded disease.

Also, in a statement signed by the national commissioner and chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, the commission warned that apart from shutting down, it “will no longer monitor the conventions, congresses, conferences or meetings of political parties until further notice.”

The commission, however, warned that the new measures taken will not affect the activities for Edo and Ondo governorship elections scheduled for September 19 and October 10, 2020, respectively.

Announcing the closure of the party secretariat after a brief meeting with the members of secretariat staff, Oshiomhole said that as a ruling party they have to join the government in finding a solution to curtail the spread of the virus, hence the decision to shut down the secretariat.

The party’s boss, who came wearing a nose mask, maintained some distance from the two other National Working Committee members present during the briefing.

Assuring the staff that the compulsory stay-at-home order will not affect the prompt payment of their salary, he said: “It is preventive measures the party has taken by closing down the secretariat for about two weeks so we can manage the situation at hand.

“But if it persists, then we will have to extend the holidays because we need to remain alive to be able to serve the country as a whole and members of the party. We as APC leaders must be seen to obey the federal government’s rules.

“It is no longer a secret that we are facing a pandemic all over the world and Nigeria has its own share of the coronavirus although, it is not as bad as in other countries, but clearly the numbers are increasing as it is said, prevention is better than cure.

“We had a conversation among ourselves – we the NWC members – and desired to come up with this decision to shut down because I am not sure how many of you have private cars. Some of you use public transport to come to work which at this moment could be dangerous and I don’t think we will want to take any risk so we have decided to close the offices,” he said.

The statement from INEC read: “In view of the Coronavirus pandemic and the preventive and containment measures put in place by the federal and state governments and in line with the advisory on social distancing from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), INEC has taken the following additional measures to protect its staff, visitors and the public.

“Effective from Tuesday, March 24, 2020, all regular and non-essential activities will be suspended in its headquarters and offices nationwide for 14 days in the first instance. The regular quarterly meetings with stakeholders, namely: political parties, civil society organisations, the media, security agencies and all other meetings, have been suspended until such a time when normalcy returns.

“In addition, the commission will no longer monitor the conventions, congresses, conferences or meetings of political parties until further notice.

“The commission reiterates its commitment to openness, consultation and continued communication with its stakeholders and expects all to understand the emergency situation that informed the suspension of contact engagements. The health and wellbeing of all our staff, officials and the general public are of paramount importance to us.

“Notwithstanding the measures outlined above, the commission will continue to meet via non-physical contact channels while communication between the Commission and its stakeholders will remain open.

“For emphasis, the new measures taken do not affect the activities for Edo and Ondo governorship elections scheduled for September 19 and October 10, 2020, respectively. We will continue to keep the public abreast of developments as they concern our electoral process.”