The Director General (DG) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) and Plateau Governor, Simon Bako Lalong has tasked Polling Agents (PAs) to be abreast with the current electoral processes of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that will be used in the 2023 general elections.
He gave the charge Monday 16, January at the Train-the-Trainers Workshop for APC Polling Agents held at Rainbow Event Marquee, Area 8, Abuja.
He said the training is necessary to ensure his party’s victory at the 2023 general elections which is 38 days away.
Lalong stated that the roles the Polling Agents are expected to play before, during and after the elections is critical based on the fact that the Nigerian electorate are dynamic and continuously getting sophisticated in their thinking, composition and actions based on evolving realities and issues of the day.
“Besides, the 2022 Electoral Act which will be used for the elections is not the same as what was used in the 2019 General Elections. Therefore, we cannot assume that what we knew about election four years ago will be sufficient for us to properly maximize our potentials in the forthcoming elections”, the DG said.
According to him, “Apart from getting familiar with the BIVAS technology, you have to also be well-informed on the new guidelines that relate to transmission of results among others”.
“That is why we have convened this Train-the-Trainer exercise which gives us an opportunity to first appreciate you as our Polling Agents for the roles you have been playing in mobilizing for the party across the country and also defending the interests of our candidates”.
“Because it is difficult to bring all our agents for this training at once, we have selected you so that you can get the knowledge and cascade it down to the grassroots when you return home”.
He urged the PAs to use the knowledge acquired from the trainers to be foot soldiers of the party on election day by keeping an eye on every vote and ensuring that the APC and all of its candidates are not shortchanged.
We shall be relying on you to be on ground and ensure that every guideline is followed during the exercise.
He expressed confidence in the PA’s capacity, zeal and passion stating that many of them are veterans who know their terrains very well.
“Nobody should intimidate or harass you particularly when you stand on the truth and the law”, he stressed.
