NIPR Releases Guidelines for 2023 National Council Elections
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has unveiled the guidelines for the upcoming 2023 National Council elections.
The Chairman, National Electoral Committee, Chief Casca Ogosu
made the official announcement in a statement released today.
PRNigeria gathered that the election will come along with the institute’s Annual General Meeting (AGM)/Conference titled: Leadership, Public Relations and Value Creation to hold 23rd – Friday 25th August 2023, in Abuja.
PRNigeria reports that NIPR, as a key regulatory body responsible for promoting excellence and professionalism in the field of public relations across Nigeria, will be organizing and supervising the election of 17 Governing Council members from all the 36 state chapters in the country, as well as Abuja, the federal capital territory.
According to the released guidelines, the election will be conducted through a secret ballot system to ensure confidentiality and integrity in the voting process.
The statement read in full: “2023 NIPR NATIONAL COUNCIL ELECTION GUIDELINES
1. The Electoral Committee is charged with the conduct of election of 17 Governing Council members from all the 36 state chapters in the country and Abuja, the federal Capital Territory. Also, it is to supervise the election of the President and the Vice President.
2. Election shall be by secret ballot
3. Any member who has not been recertified; does not possess a membership identification number and is not up to date in the payment of annual dues up to year 2022 shall be disqualified from the election.
4. Evidence of recertification and payment of annual subscription shall qualify one to vote and be voted for as follows:
Fellows: N25,000.00
Members: N15,000.00
Associates: N10,000.00
5. Any candidate whose Nomination Form contains false declarations in any manner stands disqualified
6. All contestants shall conduct their campaigns in an orderly and decent manner at all times. 7. Campaigns including sloganeering, display of placards, banners, posters and handbills shall not be allowed at the venue of the election. Any contestant or their agents who violates these rules stand disqualified. Campaigners shall also be disqualified for any breach of this order.
8. Each contestant may be required to address the house for a maximum of three (3) minutes.
9. Ballot papers will contain the names of all duly cleared contestants for the said election.
10. Every contestant/voter must cast his/her ballot paper into the ballot boxes/baskets provided for the election with the names of contestants boldly displayed on the boxes,
11. However, any ballot cast into the box of a candidate different from the name on the ballot paper will be voided.
12. Each contestant will download the nomination form from the Institute’s website at www.nipr.org.ng under resources/downloadable.
13. Each contestant must pay to the NIPR Union Bank Account Number 0005794220, a non- refundable application fee of One Hundred Thousand Naira Only (N100,000.00) to obtain the 2023 Election Nomination Form from the office in Abuja, Lagos or from the NIPR Web site. Please attach photocopies of receipts of all payments for nomination forms and annual subscriptions made. 14. Each contestant must be nominated by two (2) paid up and recertified members of his/her
chapter. 15. Completed nomination forms shall be returned with copies of all relevant documents to the Secretary, NIPR 2023 Electoral Committee C/o NIPR Secretariat Abuja office on or before Tuesday 8th August, 2023. Forms not delivered/submitted to the NIPR National Secretariat Abuja will not be treated. You may also come along with your completed nomination form to the venue of the screening exercise.
16. Contestants must submit the name and passport photograph of one polling agent each to the NIPR Electoral Committee during the screening exercise.
17. Members of the Electoral Committee are not eligible to vote or be voted for.
18. Screening of candidates will be on Tuesday 8th, August 2023 at the national secretariat of the Institute, Plot A4, A.R.O; Plaza, Herbert Macaulay Way, Zone 6; Abuja commencing from 12.00 noon to 6.00pm. Please, note that all contestants must appear in person at the venue of the screening exercise.
19. List of cleared candidates will be published on the Institute’s website on Friday 11th August 2023.
20. Accreditation based on the list of recertified members and voting will start simultaneously at 2:00pm on 24th August, 2023 with the announcement of results immediately after collation.
21. All contestants should note that electioneering campaigns is limited to entry into the governing council of the institute. An Electoral College of Council Members-Elect shall proceed to elect the President and Vice President of NIPR.
22. Presentation of Certificates of Return will be done after announcement of results. 23. Any state chapter with more than (100) One Hundred registered/recertified members may produce not more than (2) Two members of council, provided the (2) fall within the first (17) elected members at the end of result collation for that election.
18. Screening of c-didate will be on Tuesday 8th, August 2023 at the national secretariat of the Institure, Plot A, A.R.U; Plaza, Herbert Macaulay Way, Zone 6; Abuja commencing from 12.00 noon to 6.00pm. Please, note that all contestants must appear in person at the venue of the screening exercise.
19. List of cleared candidates will be published on the Institute’s website on Friday 11th August 2023. 20. Accreditation based on the list of recertified members and voting will start simultaneously at 2:00pm on 24th August, 2023 with the announcement of results immediately after collation. 21. All contestants should note that electioneering campaigns is limited to entry into the governing council of the institute. An Electoral College of Council Members-Elect shall proceed to elect the President and Vice President of NIPR.
22. Presentation of Certificates of Return will be done after announcement of results.
23. Any state chapter with more than (100) One Hundred registered/recertified members may produce not more than (2) Two members of council, provided the (2) fall within the first (17) elected members at the end of result collation for that election. 24. The decision of the Electoral Committee shall be final and not subject to any litigation.
25. Please note that noncompliance with the above guidelines shall lead to the disqualification of the contestant.
CHIEF CASCA OGOSU:P,fnipr
(CHAIRMAN NIPR 2023 NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMITTEE” it’s read.
By Kabir Abdulsalam
