2019: INEC writes RECs, bans officials from WhatsApp groups

The national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral
Commission has sent a letter to all its 37 Resident Electoral
Commissioners, informing them that it has stopped its officials
from being members of WhatsApp groups.

It also said that its officials had been asked not to create any
such social media group under any guise.

The commission took the decision via a memo sent to the RECs
with reference number PE: CE/1001/1/27 and signed by the acting
Secretary to the commission, Mr Okechukwu Ndeche.

Our correspondent gathered that officials of the commission have
different WhatsApp groups where they discussed various issues that
had to do with welfare, working conditions and others.

For example, some of its officials who spoke on condition of
anonymity, told our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday that some
members of staff of the commission opened a WhatsApp group to
discuss a certain disbursement of funds.

During their discussions, some of them were said to have
complained that they were shortchanged by their different
bosses.

“I think the management of the commission was not pleased with
the outcome of our discussions on the matter and others. We even
resolved to confront our bosses with our findings. I think this did
not go down well with the management who felt that we were forming
a trade union.

“The fear is that if we continue like this, we may unite and
insist on some things which the management may not be ready to give
or is unable to give and this, I think, must have given them the
impression that our unity may affect the conduct of the 2019
general elections,” the source said.

The commission, in its memo, alluded to this when it said that
the “incessant disclosure of official information is capable of
creating rancour and disharmony within and outside the
commission.”

Ndeche, in the memo titled, Unauthorised ‘disclosure of official
information,’ asked the RECs to enforce the contents of the
memo.

The memo read, “The commission has observed with great concern,
the incessant disclosure of official information/fake news
especially in the social media which is capable of creating rancour
and disharmony within and outside the commission.

“This rather embarrassing action is inimical to the image of the
commission and contravenes provisions of Section 3:04.2(v), (viii),
(xiii) of the INEC Staff Conditions of Service (2017).

“It is instructive to note that administrators of any such
WhatsApp groups wherein official information is circulated would be
criminally liable for the posts on the platforms and held
accountable.

“Consequently, the commission hereby proscribes all existing
WhatsApp groups or the establishment of any group under the guise
of the commission.

“Henceforth, only project WhatsApp groups will be authorised and
are to be closed at the end of that particular project.

“Accordingly, you are pleased requested to bring the content of
this circular to the notice of all staff in your state and enforce
strict compliance.

“Accept the assurances of the commission’s high regards.”