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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that electorates without face masks will not be allowed to vote at the upcoming governorship election in Edo and Ondo states.
Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman, made the announcement at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja on Thursday.
Yakubu explained that the decision became necessary given the rising spread of the disease. He, however, said medical face masks was not compulsory but any sort of material able to shiled the nose and mouth.
Other measures adopted to prevent the spread of the pandemic at polls include physical distancing of about two meters and hand sanitizers.
The INEC Boss also cautioned voters against touching the surfaces and leaning on walls at the voting centres as this would be prohibited.
He also stated that the commission had produced ten points voters video conduct, which had been distributed in the two states.
Speaking on electronic voting, Yakubu further explained that the commission could not employ the system now because the laws had not permitted it.
He, however, stated that electronic balloting would be used in Anambra election in 2021 since the law allowed for electronic balloting and not electronic voting.
The Edo election is scheduled to hold on Saturday September 19, while that of Ondo on the 10th of October.
