The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the mass redeployment of its workers across the country.

Mr Festus Okoye, Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee disclosed this in a statement in Abuja.

Okoye revealed that the action which was taken after a meeting of top management staff was to ensure efficient and optimal performance of the affected personnel.

The statement further revealed that 186 staff were affected among them were 46 Heads of Department.

The Commission which disclosed that the ‘affected staff are either serving in their States of origin or have served for between 10 and 32 years in the same State,” further maintained that it “considers this development as unhealthy for the sensitive responsibilities they discharge.

The statement read in part: “The Commission met on Thursday 24th February 2022 and deliberated on a number of issues, including the deployment of staff across the country to ensure efficient and optimal performance.

“The affected staff are either serving in their States of origin or have served for between 10 and 32 years in the same State. The Commission considers this development as unhealthy for the sensitive responsibilities they discharge. In line with the Commission’s existing posting policy, henceforth no Head of Department (HoD) or Electoral Officer (EO) shall serve in his/her state of origin. Furthermore, no staff shall serve for more than two electoral cycles in the same duty post.

“Consequently, the Commission has identified 186 staff for immediate redeployment. Among them are 46 HoDs who are either serving in their States of origin or served for more than two electoral cycles in the same State as well as 140 EOs serving in their States of origin or served for more than two electoral cycles in the same State.

“The redeployed staff are to complete the handing and taking over not later than Wednesday 9th March 2022.

“This will be an ongoing exercise that will extend to other categories of staff in the Commission’s Headquarters, State and Local Government offices nationwide.”