As preparation trails in the air for the elections of new executives of the National Open University of Nigeria Multipurpose Co-operative Society to man the affairs of its members, the Chairman, Electoral Committee, Prof. Doris Obieje, has said that validation is the main process that qualifies an individual to vote.
Obieje said this om Tuesday, September 19, 2023, during an interaction with NOUN News at the university headquarters, Jabi Abuja.
Represented by a key member of the committee, Dr. Moses Etila Shaibu, she said “validation is a key process to this election as a way to authenticate the number of eligible voters as well as avoid rigging.”
Speaking on the preparation of the election, Obieje said“we are fully prepared, the guideline is out, time-table is out, so far, eleven aspirants have collected their forms. The validation process is on to make sure there is no rigging and of course those who are not qualified should not participate.
“Directorate of Learning Content and Management System (LCMS) is involved and already we have started the validation process to know the actual number of participating voters. Even the junior staff that do not have email, we’re working out a process for email to be created for them for that purpose, so that no one will use their physical name to vote, and we are setting a time frame for election process and after that time, whoever did not take part will not be validated and if is not counted, you will not take part in the electoral processes. With this, we are so sure the issue of rigging will not arise.”
In the same vein, a memo signed by the electoral committee secretary, on behalf of the chairperson, Mr. Isaiah K. Audu, the vacant positions include office of the president vice-president, general secretary, treasure, financial secretary, assistant secretary and a 3-member Supervisory Committee.
The memo also stated that all members of the society interested in vying for elective positions in the Management and Supervisory Committee must satisfy the criteria for the 2023 election of the Society, in reference to the guidelines in accordance with the provisions of Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperative and extracts from NMCS bye-laws.
It said “He/she must be a permanent member of staff of NOUN (tenured appointment); he/she must be a financial member of the cooperative society to be eligible to vote and be voted for; the candidate’s Expression of Interest Form should be completed by aspirants and endorsed by financial members of the NOUN Multipurpose Cooperative Society,” among others.
Meanwhile, NSMCS on October 17, 2023, will be going to the polls electronically to elect new executives who will pilot the affairs of the society for the next two years as stated in the NMCS bye-laws, which promises to be credible, free and fair, as issue of court will not arise.
It would be recalled that the NMCS held its last election on October 6, 2022, bringing an end the tenure of the present exco by October 20, 2023.
Links for validation and time-table for schedule of activities are hereby given below: https://elections.nou.edu.ng/index.php/guide
