The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has released guidelines for the conducts of wards, local and state congresses.
According to the guidelines seen by insideOyo.com, all payments for purchase of nomination forms shall be made not later than 72 hours to the respective Congresses and shall be made directly into the Party’s Account.
The Congress will elect will principal members of the party.
See details below:
GUIDELINES FOR CONDUCT OF WARDS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND STATE CONGRESSES
1. STATE CONGRESS COMMITTEE
There shall be a State Congress Committee of 7 persons to be appointed by the National Working Committee (NWC), (9 appointed)…
The Committee shall comprise of persons of proven integrity from any State other than where they are to serve.
The Committee which shall comprise of a Chairman, Secretary and 5 members shall be responsible for the conduct of State congresses.
2. LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONGRESS COMMITTEE
There shall be a 5-member Local Government Congress Committee to be appointed by the State Congress Committee.
Members of the Committee shall be appointed from any part of the State other than the Local Government area in which they are to serve.
WARD CONGRESS COMMITTEE
There shall be established a Ward Congress Committee comprising of 3 persons per Ward to serve as Local Organizing Committee for conduct of Ward congresses.
Members of the Committee shall be appointed from any part of the Local Government area other than the Ward in which they are to serve.
APPEALS COMMITTEE
The Wards and Local Government Congresses Appeals Committee shall be the State Congress Committee of the party.
The Wards and Local Government Congresses Appeal Committee shall be responsible for the hearing of all appeals arising from the Wards and Local Government Congresses and their decisions shall be final.
The State Congress Appeal Committee shall be the National Working Committee (NWC) and shall be responsible for the hearing of all appeals arising from the State Congress and their decisions shall be final.
Dates, Time and Venue of Congresses
Dates for conduct of Congresses Shall be determined by the National Working Committee (NWC) in compliance with the Electoral Act, INEC Guidelines and Regulations as well as the Constitution of the Party.
Notice of dates for conduct of Congresses shall be communicated to the States as soon as the National Working Committee files such notice with INEC.
All Congresses must be conducted in easily accessible public venues, and notice of which must be given publicly from time to time until at least 24 hours before the date of the Congress.
COMPOSITION OF ELECTORS FOR CONGRESSES
The Ward congress shall consist of all registered members of the party in the ward whose names appear in the Register of members.
The Register of members must be endorsed by the Chairman of the State Congress Committee before the Ward Congress. Provided that if there are multiple Registers as a result of inability to consummate the Party’s harmonization policy, all such Registers shall be merged into one upon proof that the names of members therein are card-carrying members of the Party.
The Local Government Congress shall consist of:
All Members of the Ward Executive Committee in the Local Government Area.
Local Government Council Chairman, Vice Chairman, Supervisors and councilors who are Members of the Party;
All members of the National and State Assemblies from the Local Government Area who are members of the party.
All Commissioners and Special Advisers to the Governor who are members of the party from the Local Government Area.
Ten (10) Delegates from each Ward of the Local Government Area elected at the Ward Congress who shall cease to function after the Local Government Congress for which they were elected
The State Congress shall consist of :
The State Chairman and Members of the State Executive Committee
All Members of the National and State Assemblies who are Members of the Party from the State
All Members of the National Executive Committee from the State.
All Commissioners and Special Advisers to the Governor who are members of the party.
All elected Local Government Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen who are members of the Party.
Ministers, Ambassadors, Presidential Advisers and Presidential Political Special Assistants produced by the party.
Three (3) Delegates per Local Government elected at the Local Government Congress who shall cease to function after the state Congress for which they were elected.
BUSINESS OF THE CONGRESSES
In addition to other items contained in its agenda, the Ward Congress shall carry out the election of;
Ward Chairman
Ward Deputy Chairman
Ward Secretary
Ward Assistant Secretary
Ward Treasurer
Ward Financial Secretary
Ward Organizing Secretary
Ward Publicity Secretary
Ward Women Leader
Ward Youth Leader
Five other Ward Executive members elected at the ward congress, two of whom must be women.
Ten (10) Delegates for Local Government Congress.
In addition to other items contained in its agenda, the Local Government Congress shall carry out the election of the:
Party Chairman
Deputy Party Chairman
Party Secretary
Assistant Party Secretary
Party Legal Adviser
Assistant Party Legal Adviser
Party Treasurer
Party Financial Secretary
Party Publicity Secretary
Assistant Party Publicity Secretary
Organizing Secretary
Party Auditor
Party Women Leader
Party Youth Leader
Four (4) other Local Government Executive members at least two of whom shall be women.
Three (3) Delegates for the State Congress who shall cease to function after the state Congress for which they were elected.
(3) In addition to other items contained in its agenda, the State Congress shall carry out the election of:
State Chairman
Deputy State Chairman
State Vice Chairmen (3) one from each Senatorial District
State Secretary
Three (3) State Assistant Secretaries, (1) per Senatorial District.
State Treasurer
State Financial Secretary
State Assistant Financial Secretary
State Publicity Secretary
State Assistant Publicity Secretary
State Organizing Secretary
Three (3) State Assistant Organizing Secretaries one (1) per Senatorial District.
State Legal Adviser
State Assistant Legal Adviser
State Auditor
Six (6) other State Executive Members (3 men and 3 women with 2 each from each Senatorial District)
State Women Leader
State Youth Leader
3 Senatorial Youth Leaders (One per Senatorial District)
3 Senatorial Women Leaders (One per Senatorial District)
APPLICATION FORMS
(1)All Aspirants to party positions must be persons of unquestionable integrity and shall pay the following prescribed fees for their application:
i.
Ward Offices
N500.00
ii.
Local Offices
N1,000:00
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iii. State Offices N5, 000.00
(2)All Female Aspirants and persons with disability (PWD) shall be exempted from payment of any fees.
(3)All payments for purchase of nomination forms shall be made not later than 72 hours to the respective Congresses and shall be made directly into the Party’s Account
(4)Deposit tellers for all payment shall be prima facie evidence of such payment and shall be so treated for the collection of Forms.
(5)All completed Forms must be returned at least 48 hours before the conduct of the election.
OBSERVANCE OF CODE OF CONDUCT
(1)Utmost transparency is what is expected in all elections and as such all votes must be counted and results announced on the spot.
(2)In the event of a tie in any ballot, the election for that particular office shall be repeated until a winner emerges.
(3)The winner of any election shall be determined by a simple majority of the total votes cast.
(4)All elections shall after accreditation shall be by open secret ballot.
(5)Queue for men and women to be separated where that is requested.
(6) Accreditation shall be conducted by the respective Congress Committee at all levels.
(7)No arms or any object that can be used to cause injury shall be brought to the congress venue, and no one shall engage in the use of force or encourage delegates to cast votes more than one.
(8)Congress Committee members shall adhere strictly to these guidelines and must not indulge in any act that demonstrates bias or preference for any person at the expense of other, but shall maintain fairness, neutrality, and decorum throughout the processes
(9)Equal opportunity shall be given to every member of the party who have attained voting age and no one shall be discriminated against on the ground of sex, religion, gender circumstance of birth etc.
(10) All party organs and committees shall observe substantial compliance with the provisions of these Guidelines
(11) The National Working Committee (NWC) reserves to cancel any election in areas where there are irregularities or violence in the conduct of any congress.
