National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) State Quadrennial Delegates’ Conference 2019 Guideline

GENERAL GUIDELINES

(1) ELIGIBILITY

1. To be qualified to vote and be voted for, interested candidates must be in good financial standing in the Association and shall not be in arrears of check-off-dues for more than three months.
2. Must have been positively and actively involved in the activities of the Association for a period not below two years.
3. Must have clean records with proven evidence of such from his/her previous position(s) in the Association or professional service areas.
4. Those who have completed two terms in one position are not eligible to contest the same position.
5. Must have a valid NANNM membership card and license from N&MCN.
6. Registration with NANNM at the eve of the election by obtaining registration forms will not be entertained. All duly completed registration forms must be submitted to Headquarters and acknowledged before the election to avoid any form of manipulation.
7. Contestants must be nominated by two sponsors who are Nurses from the Unit Branch and who has the eligibility requirements above.
8. He/she must complete and return the nomination form for the election.
9. Must submit a brief manifesto.
10. Must appear before a screening committee constituted by the State Secretariat.
11. He/she must not have been indicted or found guilty by any panel or committee whether in NANNM or outside.
12. Members of the immediate dissolved State Administrative Council of the Association shall not have voting rights except he/she is an accredited delegate of his/her Unit Branch to the conference.

(2) ELECTION PROCESS

1. Elections into office at all levels shall be by secret ballot.
2. No officer shall hold two posts in the Association at the same time, either at National, State, Unit or any of the specialist groups recognized by NANNM constitution.
3. Delegates shall be drawn from Unit Branches that are financially up to date in remittance of check-off-dues in line with the relevant provisions of NANNM Constitution.
4. Result of each election must be announced as soon as the votes cast are counted.
5. Agents of contestants must witness and be involved in the counting of the votes.
6. All members of the State Executive Council and National Executive Council within the State are automatic delegates to the conference.
7. Items for inclusion in the agenda of the State Conference from the unit branches and or individuals shall be forwarded to the State Secretary to reach him/her not later than four weeks before the delegates conference.
8. The State Executive Council shall have power to determine items to be included in the agenda and the order of priority.
9. The agenda of the conference shall be forwarded to the Unit Branches not later than two weeks before the conference.
10. Screening of candidates should be concluded at least one week to the Delegates Conference.
11. Only accredited members are eligible to vote and be voted for.
12. Members with less than four years to retire are legible to contest however will cease to hold the office/post on the effective date of retirement in line with the decision of National Delegate Conference 2016.

(3) SCREENING COMMITTEE.

There shall be at least a 5-man screening committee. The members of the committee must be people of proven integrity and highly placed in the profession. Preferably the Heads of Nursing one each from FHI, MOH, LGSC, HMB and one other member to serve as the secretary of the committee. Members must be a valid (financial) member of the Association.

1. Members of the screening committee must be financially up to date in line with provision of the constitution.
2. Members must certify the eligibility criteria as candidates for the election.
3. Under no circumstance shall members of the National Administrative Council (NAC) and State Administrative Council (SAC) serve as members of the screening committee.
4. Members of the screening committee must be impartial, having no interest in any candidate, and without any ambition to contest any of the posts.
5. Results of screening exercise must be handed over to the Returning Officer on the day of their arrival.
6. The Members of the screening committee shall appoint a Chairman among themselves.
7. The screening committee shall start sitting and submit report within one week of inauguration.

(4) SPECIAL NOTE.

To ensure that the election is hitch-free, fair and free, the State Secretariat must provide the following:

1. Ballot Box
2. Ballot Papers
3. Delegates list which must be authentic and current shall be submitted to the Returning Officer for accreditation.
4. The following will be involved in the election:

a. The Police to provide security.

b. NLC Official(s) as invigilator

c. Labour Officer(s) as supervisor.

1. Copies or reports presented at the conference should accompany the report of the Electoral Officer to the NANNM Headquarters immediately after the conference.
2. The posts of Chairman and Vice Chairman require experience and are preferably for individuals that have served at SAC level or any higher organ of the Association.
3. Campaign posters and souvenirs are not allowed, however typed handbills are permissible including line-up of posts. This is in a bid to avoid cost and money influence.
4. Violators will be accordingly sanctioned.
5. Lastly, itinerary of the National Electoral Officers to State Conference shall be released very soon.

TAKING AND HANDOVER.

1. This exercise must be completed not later than a week after the election.
2. Present Officers are advised to return all relevant documents and property of the Association in their custody to the State Secretary not later than a week before the election or risk sanctioning. This is to avoid a situation where such officers seize such documents and property after election.

For the avoidance of any doubt, those who are qualified to re-contest election in line with the provision of NANNM Constitution will not be eligible unless he/she gives an acceptable account of his/her stewardship.

Those who are under probe or suspension by their States or National Secretariat are not eligible to vote or be voted for. State Secretaries are by this notice directed to set machinery in motion and work in tandem with members of the State Administrative Council who have no interest in recontesting to ensure the success of the exercise.

State Secretaries should exercise high degree of transparency and neutrality in handling this sensitive constitutional function as he/she will be held culpable and responsible for any lapses.

Please feel free to seek for clarification where you have doubts.

T.A. Shettima

General Secretary