Request for Application (RFA) at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was established by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to among other things organize elections into various political offices in the country. The functions of INEC as contained in Section 15, Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) and Section 2 of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended).

• The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hereby invites registered Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Non-Governmental Organization (NGOs) and other interested stakeholders whose work is on democracy, governance and election and who wish to observe the FCT Area Council Elections scheduled to hold on 12th February, 2022 to visit (https://observergroups.inecnigeria.org/welcome) and complete the application form. This is without prejudice to any previous correspondence with the Commission. Completion of the prescribed application form (EC 14A(1) remains the only accepted means of applying.

• Observer groups should particularly note that all other information including Legal status, evidence of registration with the Civil Society Desk at INEC Headquarters, Abuja among others are to accompany the online application.
• Any falsification of documents in the submissions will lead to automatic disqualification and possible prosecution.
• The list of successful observer groups approved for accreditation will subsequently be published in National Newspapers and on the Commission's website

Accreditation of Successful Observer Groups

• Each successful group would then be required to complete and submit online the Deployment of observer's form (EC 14A (II)
• Successful Observer groups should also note that passport photographs in JPEG format) of their members to be deployed to the field shall be arranged on Area Council basis and shall be submitted (EC 14A (II)). This is to enable the Commission produce identification / accreditation tags for individual field observer.
• All successful observer groups will be required to sign the Commission's indemnity form before receiving their accreditation letters.

• Observer groups should note that the core principle of election observation as contained in relevant UN, AU, and ECOWAS treaties and protocols, as well as INEC guidelines on Election observation (2008), which includes impartiality, objective and non-partisanship should guide conduct of observers during the election and any observer groups found compromise those principles be banned from future participation in election observation.
• Covid-19 Protocols:
  • In accordance with the prevailing circumstance in the country, accredited observer groups are expected to comply with all the regulations and protocols on Covid-19 as issued by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Presidential Task Force on, including INEC guidelines on Covid-19 including provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as face masks, hand gloves, and hand sanitizers, as well as maintain Social distancing by all their members that will operate in the field on Election Day.

N/B: Details of Covid-19 Protocols as it relates to election are available at: www.inecnigeria.org