October 15, 2026.
The Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) has charged election observers within the state to stay skilled, neutral and targeted on the electoral course of as they put together to observe the October 17, 2026 Local Government Elections.
The Chairman of the Commission, Hon. Mamman Nda Eri, gave the cost on Thursday, October 15, 2026, throughout a gathering with election observers on the Commission’s headquarters in Lokoja, the place he offered closing pointers for efficient election commentary.
Eri cautioned the observers towards interfering within the electoral course of or making untimely pronouncements on election outcomes. He mentioned they may take pictures and doc occasions as proof however ought to keep away from statements able to spreading rumours or creating pointless stress.
He emphasised that the duty of observers was to observe the conduct of the election and supply goal experiences that might assist the Commission enhance future electoral processes.
“Observers are responsible to KOSIEC and should be more interested in the process rather than the results,” the Chairman acknowledged.
He urged the observers to arrange complete checklists protecting their private data, the small print of their organisations and related details about the polling items they’d observe. He careworn the significance of understanding their tasks earlier than arriving at their assigned places.
On the closing time for voting, Eri defined that voters already on the queue at 3:00 p.m. needs to be allowed to vote. He additionally warned that vote shopping for was an electoral offence and urged observers to doc all irregularities of their experiences reasonably than have interaction in arguments or disputes at polling items.
The KOSIEC Chairman additional defined that election outcomes could be declared on the polling items, wards and native authorities ranges earlier than being forwarded to the Commission.
He assured the observers that the Commission wouldn’t intrude with outcomes from the sphere however would formally declare the leads to accordance with the established electoral course of.
Speaking, the Chairman of the Forum of (*17*) Observers in Nigeria, Kogi State Chapter, Comrade Idris Miliki, urged contributors to familiarise themselves with the Electoral Act in addition to the related codes of conduct guiding election commentary.
Miliki suggested observers to reach at their assigned polling items early to doc the graduation of electoral actions and stay security-conscious all through the train.
He additionally urged them to make sure that their experiences recognized challenges encountered at polling items and supplied sensible suggestions for addressing them, cautioning towards making untimely judgments whereas on the sphere.
“It is those that are alive that can write reports,” he mentioned, stressing the necessity for observers to prioritise their private security all through the train.
Miliki additional urged KOSIEC to make sure that election supplies arrived at designated distribution centres by 8:00 a.m. on election day to facilitate a clean electoral course of.
He additionally referred to as on observers to finish and submit their experiences by Monday following the election.
The assembly featured questions and solutions, throughout which contributors raised issues and supplied ideas geared toward strengthening the electoral course of and guaranteeing efficient commentary of the forthcoming native authorities elections.
Modupe Adegboro,
Information Officer, KOSIEC.
