Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the General Campaign and Election Guidelines for the 56th Annual General Meeting
General Information
Q1: What are the key dates for the election process?
A: The key dates, including the campaign period, Virtual Election Debate, end of campaign activities and commencement of e-voting, will be communicated in the official AGM and Election Activity Timeline.
Q2: Who is eligible to contest for an elective position?
A: To be eligible, a contestant must:
- Be a financial member in the grade of Associate, Member, or Fellow of the Institute.
- Have fully paid the 2025 membership subscription and any outstanding dues.
- Be in good standing and comply with the Institute’s Code of Conduct and Professional Ethics.
- Hold a valid Human Resource Practitioners’ Licence (HRPL).
- Be financially up to date at the CIPM State Branch level.
- Contestants must NOT be members of the Executive Council at the Branch, National, Regional, and Global level in a Business Membership Organisation (BMOs) or Membership Business Organisation (MBOs). Contestants shall complete the Declaration form to validate their claim.
- Have an updated profile on the Membership Portal.
- Seek election or re-election annually, as required by the Institute’s governing Act.
Q3: Will a background check be conducted to verify if a candidate belongs to the Executive Council of another professional institute?
A: Yes, a thorough check will be conducted to confirm compliance with this requirement.
Q4: Who is eligible to vote?
A: Only financial members in the grades of Associate, Member, or Fellow of the Institute are eligible to vote. Please note that only members who have paid their subscriptions up to the year 2024 are eligible.
Nomination Process
Q5: How can I nominate a candidate?
A: Nominations must be submitted through the CIPM membership portal within the stipulated nomination period.
Q6: Can I nominate myself for an elective position?
A: No, members are not allowed to nominate themselves.
Q7: How many candidates can I nominate?
A: Each member is allowed to nominate only one candidate.
Q8: What happens after nomination?
A: The nominee must accept the nomination request, and the Branch Chairman must validate their financial status. The Electoral Committee will then review nominations and announce approved candidates.
Q9: What elective positions are available?
A: The available elective positions are:
- President
- Vice President
- National Treasurer
- Five (5) Elected Council Members
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Q10: What are the expectations for nominees?
A: Each nominee must state clearly which of the objectives in the Institute’s 2025–2027 Strategic Plan they intend to pursue if elected.
Q11: What documents are required for nominations?
A: A completed nomination form, brief profile, manifesto and a recent head-shot photograph taken within the last six months. Contestants are required to upload their nomination, brief profile, manifesto and headshot photograph online by themselves. Offline submissions or hard copies will not be accepted.
Campaign Guidelines
Q12: When does the campaign period start and end?
A: Campaigns begin and end as per the schedule in the 2025 AGM Activity Highlights and Election Timeline. Campaigns must end before voting begins.
Q13: Can Contestants campaign before the official period?
A: No, campaigns must only commence when officially declared open. Contestants must not use CIPM-organised events or meetings to announce their candidacy.
Q14: What are acceptable campaign platforms?
A: Contestants may campaign through:
- Their personal social media pages
- E-flyers
- Campaigns during Branch and Chapter meetings
- Personal outreach to their networks
- Text messages and emails
CIPM will also provide campaign opportunities via:
- Webinar sessions (Virtual Election Debates)
- Short campaign videos on CIPM social media platforms
Q15: What campaign tactics are prohibited?
A: Unethical campaign tactics include:
- Sending campaign messages after the campaign period has ended
- Defamatory messaging against other contestants
- Coordinating with groups to discredit opponents
- Offering financial inducements for votes
- Using unprofessional language and tone in campaigns
Election and Voting Process
Q16: How will voting be conducted?
A: Voting will be conducted electronically (e-voting) and will open at 6:00 p.m. (WAT) on Wednesday, 30th April 2025. It will remain open until 8:00 a.m. (WAT) on AGM Day, Thursday, 8th May 2025.
Q17: Can I vote multiple times?
A: No, each member is entitled to vote once per position.
Q18: How will election results be declared?
A: After the voting period ends:
- The Quality Assurance team, in collaboration with the Electoral Committee, will validate the final election results.
- The candidate with the highest valid votes for each position will be declared the winner.
- In the case of a tie, the Returning Officer will have a casting vote.
- Votes cast will be displayed publicly before the announcement.
- The Returning Officer will engage all contestants before the general announcement.
- The winners will be officially declared by the Returning Officer.
Sanctions for Violations
Q19: What happens if a contestant violates the election guidelines?
A: The Electoral Committee will investigate any infractions and submit a report with recommendations to the Governing Council for consideration and approval. Sanctions may include disqualification or other disciplinary actions.
Electoral Committee and Governance
Q20: Who oversees the election process?
A: The election process is overseen by the Electoral Committee, which reports to the Governing Council. The Committee consists of highly reputable Fellows and Members of the Institute, with the Registrar/Chief Executive serving as the Secretary.
Contact Information
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Q21: How can I contact the CIPM for support or assistance related to Elections?
Helpdesk: 07001237555, 018880408
Electoral Email: election@cipmnigeria.org
Email for technical issues: ict@cipmnigeria.org
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