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A Press Corps of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Delta State chapter has been inaugurated in Asaba the state capital with the swearing-in of a four-man executive to run the affairs of the press corps.

The INEC-Press Corps executives who took the oath of office included Sir Festus Ahon, chairman, Mr. Austin Oyibode, PRO, Ifeoma Okafor, treasurer and Oghenero Eghere, secretary.

Inaugurating the executives of the INEC-Press corps, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Rev. Monday Udoh Tom said the inauguration of the executives represents the induction of press corps into the Commission’s value chain of stakeholder engagement matrix in Delta State.
He said that INEC needed Journalists to communicate the right information and called on Journalists to help create awareness for registrants to go and collect their Personal Voters Card (PVC).

Rev. TOM pointed out that it therefore testifies to the commitment of the State Management of INEC the State to replicate what is happening at the national level, where an IPC already exists for over a decade to translate the gains of the robust relationship between the Commission and the media, which will ultimately benefit the electoral process in the state.
“It is significant to mention here that, your induction at the state level will benefit the media , particularly in understanding the language and nuances of political reporting and by extension activities of INEC, moreso now that, the Electoral Act 2022 , has devoted a significant portion to what is expected of the media, in the political process, particularly sections 94 and 96 of the Act,” the Resident Electoral Commissioner said.
Below is full text of the REC’s speech.

STATEMENT BY HON. RESIDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER, INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION(INEC), DELTA STATE, REV. MONDAY UDOH TOM, AT THE INNAUGURATION OF EXECUTIVE OF INEC PRESS CORPS(IPC), AT THE INEC CONFERENCE HALL, STATE HEAD OFFICE, ASABA, ON WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 19, 2022.
Administrative Secretary, HODs, Chairman of NUJ, Chairperson of NAWOJ, Gentlemen of the Press
I give God all the glory and honour for making us to see a new day in good health . I also give them the glory that He has brought us all back to this meeting. Permit me to congratulate the new Executive and indeed members of the tear rubber INEC Press Corps, Delta State, on the unveiling of this very important addition to the interface between the Commission and its gamut of stakeholders.

I am delighted to note that, the new Executive, we are about to inaugurate came about through the time honoured democratic principle of free choice, devoid of acrimony and inconclusive election. I dare say that the IPC , in our estimation has passed the litmus test of democratic franchise, once again I congratulate the IPC.As you may be aware , the Commission has stepped up its activities towards the conduct of the 2023 General Election, for which nine item, out of fourteen items has so far been attained in its time table and schedule of activities for the 2023 General Elections. Your induction into the Commission’s value chain of stakeholder engagement matrix in Delta State , therefore testifies to the commitment of the State Management of INEC here in the State to replicate what is happening at the national level, where an IPC already exists for over a decade to translate the gains of the robust relationship between the Commission and the media, which will ultimately benefit the electoral process in the state.

It is significant to mention here that, your induction at the state level will benefit the media , particularly in understanding the language and nuances of political reporting and by extension activities of INEC, moreso now that, the Electoral Act 2022 , has devoted a significant portion to what is expected of the media, in the political process, particularly sections 94 and 96 of the Act. Going forward, this new level of cooperation and understanding between the Commission and media in Delta State will hopefully lead to better information management, particularly in reporting with responsibility and not pandering to the whims and caprices of unscrupulous politicians.

Let me also stress that, in every relationship, even in marriages, partners are expected to be guided by a set of rules, that will ultimately lead to peace , harmony and longevity of such relationship. On the part of the Commission, we here and now commit to respecting the desires of the media to access information about activities of the Commission in an open and timely manner, without undermining the Commission’s rules and regulations, particularly as it relates to its Communication Policy. Let me conclude by requesting the IPC to join hands with the Commission to ensure that, registrants come forward to collect their Permanent Voters Card(PVCs), which is still on-going at the respective LGA offices of INEC.

IPC should engage the political parties , who are the beneficiaries of the PVCs to be actively involved in encouraging and mobilizing their supporters to collect their PVCsAt the moment, the Commission carried over 244,715 uncollected PVCs from the 2019 general elections, while it has so far received about 69,946 PVCs, for those who registered between June –December 2021 and 17,000 transfer PVCs, bringing the stock of PVCs held by the Commission, at the moment , to well over 300,000 cards lying in the Commission’s 25 LGA offices in the state.

The Commission expects that, by the end of November, we will receive more PVCs, hence our desire to embark on aggressive mobilization of registrants to collect their PVCs, through the PVC Collection/Political Campaigns Sensitization , which has so far taken us to the State House of Assembly.As a follow up to the advocacy to the State House of Assembly, the Commission has drawn up a work plan and engagement matrix in the following order;Meeting with Chairmen/ Secretaries /Governorship candidates of political parties/ Heads of security agencies/ religious organizations and CSOs on Thursday October 20, 2022.Meeting with Senatorial/ House of Reps/ State House of Assembly candidates/ Serving /former members of National and State Houses of Assembly/ Serving and former LGC chairmen/ political party leaders at both Senatorial/ LGA levels, in Delta South ( October 25, at Oleh) Delta Central ( October 26, at Ughelli) and Delta North( October 27, at Asaba, INEC State head office ).

We solicit your active collaboration, in seeing to the attainment of the stated objectives of the programme. On this note, it is my privilege to inaugurate the new Executive of IPC.
Congratulations once Again.Thank You.