The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has opened its online portal for the accreditation of media organisations and journalists intending to cover the upcoming by-elections scheduled for Saturday, June 20.

The commission, in a notice issued on Friday, said the portal for registration could be accessed via https://imap.inecnigeria.org.

It added that the portal, which was officially opened on Wednesday, May 6, would automatically shut down at midnight on Sunday, June 7.

The commission noted that the by-elections would be conducted in six states across various federal and state constituencies, as well as senatorial districts.

The affected areas are: Enugu North Senatorial District, Enugu State; Dawaki Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency, Kano State; and Nasarawa North Senatorial District, Nasarawa State.

Others are Ondo South Senatorial District, Ondo State; Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Rivers State; and Zuru State Constituency, Kebbi State.

INEC emphasised that there would be no extension of time for applications, urging media houses to ensure their submissions are completed well before the June 7 deadline.

According to the commission, only accredited media representatives will be granted access to polling units, collation centres, and other INEC facilities during the elections.

The commission stated that applicants are required to upload a formal letter of introduction on their organisation’s letterhead, alongside the particulars and passport photographs of the staff they intend to deploy.

It further clarified that it reserves the right to withhold accreditation from any organisation or journalist whose professional identity cannot be verified, reiterating its commitment to a transparent and well-coordinated electoral process. 

(NAN)