The Road To Making 2011 Elections Successful

Dear Compatriots, Fellow Nigerians,

 Please note the following and distribute as widely as possible as we prepare for the 2011 Elections. 

Pre-Election Information To Voters

• Ensure that you register formally at the ward nearest to the polling centre nearest your home as you may not be able to move beyond your neigbourhood on the election days.
• Sensitize and encourage other eligible citizens to register for election (they must be 18 years and above)•        Ensure you keep safe your voter's card because it is your power.
• Note that the Electoral Act mandates INEC to display the voters register prior to the Election Day. Ensure that you seize this opportunity to verify your name on the displayed voters register and encourage others to do the same. Please do not be scared to mobilise people in your neighbourhood. As an educated and enlightened person, you are a community leader in the small sphere of your voting booth.
• Where your name is missing or where you notice any discrepancies or false names like “Mike Tyson”, “George Bush” etc, immediately alert the relevant electoral authority.  If they do not listen, post the information on your Facebook page or write to ththe relevant organisation and we will do something
• Please do not sell your voters card no matter what. If any body approaches you and he/she persists or threatens you, let relevant  organisations know and give us the person's details, or approach your Church, Mosque or other civil society group. Do not accuse anybody falsely, please.

Information For Voters On Mandate Protection On Election Day 

• Arrive early at the polling centre on Election Day (note that voting process commences at 8.00 am) Pass through the accreditation process.
•  Vote for the candidate of your choice and do not try to influence another person to vote even if the person is your wife, child or dependent. It is against the law and if you are caught, you can be sent to jail and you will be charged with rigging elections.
• Note that the Electoral Act allows you to observe proceedings from a distance of not less that 200 metres away from every direction. Please if you are not an accredited observer, a polling agent, electoral officer or security agent (that is on official duty) you are to leave the Polling Station after casting your vote.
• Stay around to protect your vote. There is no law that says you should go home after voting. You can go there with a picnic basket so you stay around and watch your votes.
•  Note that voting statutorily ends at 4.00 p.m. and the Electoral Act allows voters to go back to the polling booth to observe the counting of the ballot papers.
• Ensure that duly certified results are openly announced at the polling centre by the presiding officers.

Duly certified results are:

• Number of votes cast must tally with the number of ballot papers issued out by the polling officers (this includes both valid and invalid votes)
• The result sheets must be duly signed by all authorised persons i.e.
1. Polling Officers
2. Polling Officers’ Assistant(s)
3. Party Agents,
4. Security Agents.
• Ensure that the Official result sheets carry the appropriate date for that particular election.
• Note that all literate voters should write down results of their polling stations.
• To further ensure that our votes are not tampered with in transit, ensure accurate collation. Citizens are advised to, as can be feasible, accompany the officials and ballots to the wards collation centre and subsequently LGA and State Collation Centres.
• Note that while the Law does not allow UN accredited persons into polling centres, citizens are advised to stay around the centres and remain vigilant. Please post this on all visible Notice Boards and Public Places around the country, make them into hand bills and pass around your churches, mosques, other worship centres, clubs, pubs, motor parks, schools, market places and interpret into local dialects as much as possible to suit local situations