About 50, 000 workers will be sworn in on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 by the Independent National Electoral Commission in Lagos State for the presidential election billed to hold on Saturday, March 28, 2015.
The commission’s Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Femi Akinbiyi, said that the staff would be deployed across the state’s 245 wards, in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
The Section 28 of the Act reads, “All staff appointed by the Commission taking part in the conduct of an election shall affirm or swear before the High Court an Oath of Neutrality, as in the Second Schedule of this Act.
“All electoral officers, presiding officers, returning officers and all staff appointed by the commission, taking part in the conduct of an election shall affirm or swear an Oath of Loyalty and Neutrality, indicating that they would not accept bribe or gratification from any person, and shall perform their functions and duties impartially and in the interest of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, without fear or favour.”
The INEC spokesperson further stated that some local governments in the state started swearing in their officers on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 in order to make the process easier.
He said, “We were unable to have a combined swearing-in for all the staff members because it would be difficult to get a venue that can take everyone. So, we decided that each local government should go about it individually.”
