A picture of some ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who were deployed in Idanre local government area of Ondo state for the governorship election and reportedly slept at a primary school over lack of decent accommodation has surfaced online.
According to TheCable, polling officers (POs) and assistant polling officers were seen on mats at St. Patrick School, Odeja, one of the registration area centers in Idanre, on the eve of the election.
These ad hoc officials assigned to handle the conduct and supervision of the election in Idanre are expected to have moved to their different units before 8am.
TheCable and Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) also discovered that some event halls at Owena, where the INEC office of Idanre local government area is located, were converted to sleeping places for electoral officials who could not afford decent accommodation.
It was also learnt that some ad hoc officials who had enough cash had to rent rooms at hotels did not pass the night under such condition.
Speaking on the development, an electoral official who prefers anonymity explained that the reason why his colleagues took the decision.
“Ever since I’ve been working for them (INEC), that’s how it has always been for those of us who do not have enough money but want to get to our polling units very early in the morning,” he said.
“We have to stay together and that’s why you see most people sleep in their RAC because that’s where the bus that will move their materials will take off from.”
Electoral officials are very crucial to the success of elections but their welfare has always been an issue of concern.