National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, NIMN is showing the country and other professional bodies the way as the marketing body introduces the electronic voting system in its election of officers for next tenure.
The institute which is now stabilised by Tony Agenmonmen-led council after years of upheaval is deepening its democratic affairs with shift from manual to e-voting at its 2020 annual general meeting to be held online on July 16, this year.
“The rationale for the transition to e-voting is to give every eligible member of the Institute the opportunity to exercise his or her right to vote for their preferred candidates irrespective of their location and also, enthrone more transparency, fairness, and credibility in the electoral process, Agenmonmen said during NIMN Webinar conference, Tuesday in Lagos.
“We are not adopting e-voting because of the pandemic but because it is inclusive as this will enable the financial members of the institute wherever they are to choose their leaders”, Agenmonmen said. According to him, the initiative was introduced in 2018.
During the online meeting, elections will be held to fill the positions of first vice-president, second vice-President and four council seats.
The chairman of electoral committee, Ali Madugu further said that the institute has engaged the services of an auditing firm for the elections.
Agenmonmen further said during the Webinar that the annual meeting will be held online. “The reason for the Institute holding the annual meeting online is not far-fetched. The outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic has made many corporate organisations to adapt to new ways of doing things, and our Institute is no different”.
The 2020 annual Marketing Conference and general meeting were initially scheduled to hold in Benin-city, Edo State on April 16 and 17, 2020 respectively. However, the mass gathering restrictions and the health advisory occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic made the Institute to postpone the events indefinitely.
According to the President, Tony Agenmonmen, the general meeting will now offer the council members the opportunity to present accounts of their stewardship for the year ended 31 December 2019. “As President I will also use the occasion to present my stewardship for the past years that I have had the privilege of leading my colleagues in Council to lay a solid foundation for the Institute”.
He said the Institute is on the right trajectory to greatness, and it is determined to play its role as a professional Institute to continually advance the practice of the marketing profession in Nigeria. “We will not relent on this mandate until we make our Institute the pride of all our members and Nigerians”
