GUIDE FOR MEDIA ACCREDITATION FOR 2023 BAYELSA, IMO AND KOGI STATES GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION

1.0 INTRODUCTION:

As part of the Commission’s Policy to ensure safety of all personnel on Election Day including Media Personnel, Journalists from Media Organisations are duly accredited to cover the conduct of elections. In the light of this, the Commission has approved the following guidelines for Journalists and Media Organisations wishing to cover the 2023 Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi States Governorship Elections.

2.0 APPLICATION FOR ACCREDITATION:

Media organisations intending to deploy Journalists to cover any or all the three of the Governorship elections shall apply online to the Commission via this website; https://imap.inecnigeria.org. Each organisation shall attach and upload onto the accreditation portal an application letter and the list of all staff it wishes to deploy.

The Portal will be opened on Thursday 24th of August, 2023 and close on Sunday, 22nd of October, 2023.

3.0 LIAISON PERSONNEL:

For purposes of smooth accreditation, Media organisations are required to assign a liaison officer/contact person to coordinate the accreditation of their nominees. The Liaison Officer will be required to fill the forms online on behalf of the organisations’ staff (as the case may be) for processing of the applications.

4.0 DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR ACCREDITATION:

(a) The contact person of the organisation is required to upload the passport photographs and work I.D of every staff that will be involved in the coverage of the election.

(b) The contact person is also required to upload a covering letter from his/her organisation containing the list, names and duties of officers his/her organisation wishes to deploy (e.g. Reporter, Camera Operator, Driver, Reporter, Crew members for Live coverage of election etc.

(c) Online Media organisations will be required to provide their website addresses with evidence of recent posts (ie regular posts in the last 30 days preceding the date of the application).

(d) Print Journalists may be required to scan and upload at least three recent editions of their publication.

5.0 SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS:

All documents shall be submitted in soft copies through the dedicated online portal as provided above. No hard copy submission will be accepted.

6.0 DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICANTS:

Submission of all applications and documents for accreditation for the three Governorship Elections will end at 12:00 am (Midnight) of Sunday, 22nd October 2023.

NB: No late submission shall be entertained as the portal will automatically shut down at the expiration of the submission period.

7.0 COLLECTION OF TAGS

a. Journalists/Media organisations whose applications are successful will collect media accreditation Tags at the NUJ Secretariat in the respective states: BAYELSA IMO KOGI NUJ Council Ernest Ikoli Press Centre, No. 33 Azikoro Road, Ekeki, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State NUJ Secretariat, Opposite ISOPADES Complex, via Ebere Link Filling Station, Port Harcourt Road, Owerri, Imo State NUJ Press Centre No. 7 Lugard Road, Lokoja, Kogi State The Commission may change the venue and location for the issuance of the Tags should the need arises.

b. DATES FOR COLLECTION OF TAGS: Media Accreditation tags shall be collected at the venue from Monday, 6th November to Thursday, 9th November, 2023. Collection closes at 4.00 pm daily.

8.0 ACCESS TO COLLATION CENTRES:

While access to polling units is open to all accredited Journalists covering the election but, due to limited space and safety concerns, INEC will allow only one accredited representative per radio station and two per television station, (reporter and cameraman) and newspaper (a reporter and one Photographer) to the collation centres.

9.0 RESPONSIBILITIES OF ACCREDITED JOURNALISTS:

All accredited Journalists and allied staff have the right to cover ALL election procedures within their respective jurisdictions for which they have been accredited. Journalists accredited to cover the election are expected to strictly abide by all laws and INEC Regulations and Guidelines and all Rules and Codes from relevant Regulatory Bodies as well as the ethics of the Journalism Profession.

10.0 JOURNALISTS ARE TO:

a. Display their photo identification Tags issued by the Commission at all times on Polling Day.

b. Be at the Polling Unit from the opening of poll on Election Day to observe all stages of the polling process – from voter accreditation, through the voting period, to the counting of ballot papers and pasting of results – provided they do not interfere with polling processes or compromise the voters statutory right to secrecy of his/her vote.

c. Move around the Polling Units as long as their movements do not obstruct the voting process or the work of poll officials, interview voters, observers or other persons within the polling environment without interfering with the polling process

d. Observe the deployment of sensitive materials and the retrieval of used and unused sensitive materials after the polling processes.

11.0 JOURNALISTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO:

(a) Film or take photographs of any individual within the polling zone without his/her consent.

(b) Film or photograph any voter marking a ballot paper.

(d) Film, photograph or copy the Register of Voters, Voter Cards or any other document(s) as would infringe on the privacy of any voter;

(e) Handle any polling material.

12.0 LINE OF AUTHORITY/OBEDIENCE TO LAWFUL DIRECTIONS:

Accredited Journalists, like everyone else in the polling environment, shall be subject to the directives and control of the Presiding Officer. INEC reserves the right to withdraw or revoke at anytime the accreditation of any Journalist, who defies the directives of any Presiding Officer or authorized INEC Official or who violates the provisions of any law, regulation, code or professional codes of Journalism practice. Note:

a. INEC reserves the right to withhold accreditation for any organisation or Journalist whose professional identity could not be verified.

b. Only accredited media representatives will be allowed free movement or access to Polling Units, Collation Centres, or any INEC office facility.

FOR FURTHER ENQUIRIES,

PLEASE CALL; 09118747877 & 08160156718

Signed:

Secretary

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

INEC: Making your vote count…Consolidating our Democracy