No Face Mask, No Voting, PTF Warns Ondo Electorates

As he people of Ondo State get set for Saturday governorship election, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has said any electorate without face mask will not be allowed to vote at the polls.

The PTF also warned that other COVID-19 preventive protocols such as physical distancing must also be strictly observed at the polls.

Dr. Sani Aliyu, the PTF National Coordinator, gave the warning at a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday.

Dr. Aliyu said every one participating in the Ondo exercise, voters, candidates, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security operatives and election observers must ensure they observe the anti-COVID-19 guidelines put in place for the poll.

“As we all know, we will hold the governorship election across 18 local governments. We are expecting about 1.5 million eligible people to vote in 3,000 polling units across the state,” he said.

“This is clearly a huge exercise. It’s a huge exercise that will also come with risks. Therefore, in order to protect the voters, election officials and candidates in the electoral process, we urge everyone to comply with the INEC guidelines.

“Face masks are mandatory across the polling units. No face mask, no voting. Physical distancing must be enforced, especially in queuing at polling units. Alcohol-based sanitisers will be provided. Election will begin at 8:30am, to close at 2:30pm, but anybody on the outer queue by 2:30pm will still be allowed to vote. There will be two queues; an outer queue and an inner queue.”