The Independent National Electoral Commission has asked civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations interested in monitoring the February rerun and by-election to apply through an online portal by January 17.
On Thursday, INEC‘s acting Director of Electoral Party Monitoring, Hauwa Habib, issued a notification in Abuja stating this.
Habib advised the organizations to visit (http://observergroups.inecnigeria.org) and fill out the application form.
According to her, this was without prejudice to any earlier interaction with the commission, and completing the prescribed application form (EC14A(l)) remained the only acceptable method of application.
“Observer groups should particularly note that all other information, including legal status (registration with CAC), evidence of registration with the Civil Society Desk at INEC-Headquarters, evidence of registration, previous election observation with INEC (if any), and acknowledgment of submission of reports of observation (if any), should accompany the application.
“Any falsification of documents in the submissions will lead to automatic disqualification and possible prosecution.
“The deadline for submission of applications is January 17, 2024.
“The list of successful observer groups approved for accreditation will subsequently be published on the commission’s website and the EPM observer’s WhatsApp platform,” Habib said.
She went on to say that the by-election and re-run-election vacancies were spread among two senatorial districts, four federal seats, and three state constituencies in nine states.
She also stated that INEC is conducting the by-elections and re-run elections resulting from the 2023 general elections as instructed by various election petition appeal tribunals.
“Currently, 35 constituencies are affected by these court-ordered elections; while three cover entire constituencies, others involve only a few polling units.
“Both categories of elections are scheduled to take place simultaneously in all affected constituencies on Saturday, February 3,” Habib added.
The Chronicle NG reports that INEC will conduct reruns and bye-elections across the country in February 2024 to fill existing vacancies in the state and federal legislatures.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Is Anthony Odiong still a priest after life in prison sentence over rape?")