By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that voters with high body temperature would not be allowed to vote in the September 19 governorship election.
In an interview on ARISE television which TheNiche monitored, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in-charge of voters education and publicity, Festus Okoye, said the measure is aimed at protecting other voters and INEC staffers.
According to Okoye, no voter will be allowed into any voting point without putting on a face mask and undergoing body temperature check.
He said if a voter is found to have a high body temperature, that is exceeding 37 degrees Celsius, they would be handed over to a team of medical officials that would provide him the necessary health assistance they require.
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The INEC REC explains that allowing such persons with high body temperature a voting chance could infect electoral materials. The ballot box and ballot paper could all become infected if a COVID-19 patient has contact with them, therefore triggering a chain of infection.
Observers, have, however noted that the COVID-19 protocol which INEC says must be complied with on election day, were all flouted at the campaign rallies of the two major political parties – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives (APC).
At their campaign grounds, the face masks were used by just a small number of those who attended such rallies, while social distancing was thrown out of the window.
The candidates themselves were never seen preaching to the people on how to avoid the COVID-19 infection since doing so could mean attracting lower number of people at such events.
Curiously, Nigeria’s COVID-19 confirmed cases have been on the decline despite the reckless confidence Nigerians have been exuding in ignoring the safety protocol on how to avoid the infection.
On September 13, the confirmed cases of the COVID-19 in Nigeria were 79, with 4 deaths as against when the daily numbers were exceeding 700.
