PCN POLICY ON THE ELECTION OF PRINCIPAL OFFICERS
OF THE CHURCH AS ADOPTED BY THE EXTRA-ORDINARY
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF FRIDAY, 22ND NOVEMBER,
2013 HELD IN THE CHAPEL OF HWTI, CALABAR
(1) The Principal Clerk shall inform the nominating Synod of her right to nominate three (3) candidates for presentation to the GAEC who will screen the nominees for election. Such notice shall be copied to all the Synods. This should be done within three (3) months to the last GAEC before the General Assembly meeting and within six (6) months before the G. A. meeting. The screening of the nominees by GAEC will be in the area of eligibility.
(2) The Board of Trustees (BOT) will be represented by two (2) members in the Screening Body/Observers at the Synod and GAEC levels.
(3) The screening should go beyond the certificates obtained and the presentation of manifestoes. It should dig into the moral and spiritual life of each candidate with findings from Theological schools attended and Parishes served as Minister.
(4) On receipt of the notice from the Principal Clerk, the nominating Synod will inform delegates and interested persons who are required to apply in writing to the Principal Clerk. The application of which copy must be addressed to the Prelate/G.A Moderator, must be accompanied with requisite documents to show/reflect the qualifications of the candidate. The candidates must be nominated by three delegates each. Nominating delegates must serve within the bounds of the nominating Synod.
(5) The nominating Synod of any Principal Officer of the Church will no longer decline their right of nomination on the ground that the Synod has no nominee. Every Synod must, when called upon to nominate a Principal Officer assigned to it, do so in line with the policies of the Church.
(6) The nominating Synod can nominate outside the bounds of the Synod.
(7) The notice of intention to contest referred to above should reach the Principal Clerk and Prelate/G.A. Moderator one (1) month before the date of election and the Principal Clerk, on collecting all applications, should notify the Synod Moderator of the names of contestants as forwarded to the G.A. Office.
(8) The person desirous of contesting election into any Principal Office position who holds Synod office may not necessarily step down from such Synod Office to contest.
(9) The Clerk of the Synod shall issue a notice of election to delegates who are Synod Members; the date for election and the election shall be fixed and held at least one (1) month to the GAEC meeting that will ratify names of successful candidates.
(10) All contestants shall nominate one (1) person each to act as a member of the Electoral Panel for the election. Others include the legal Adviser and two (2) representatives of the General Assembly. The Panel shall appoint their officers. The Electoral Panel (and not the Synod Executive Members) shall conduct the election on an agreed date.
(11) The Electoral Panel shall conduct election by secret ballot, and at the end of the election announce the result of the election to the hearing of all delegates, enter the result in the result sheet to be signed by all or a simple majority of the members of the Electoral Panel and thereafter hand the result over to the Synod Moderator and copies given to the contestants.
(12) GAEC will appoint those who will watch the election.
(13) On receipt of the result of the election through the representative of GAEC, the Synod Clerk shall immediately forward same to the Principal Clerk of the General Assembly.
(14) On receipt of the result of the election, the G.A. Office shall present the first three candidates with the highest votes cast at the election to the GAEC meeting held for the purpose of ratifying the result of the election for presentation to the General Assembly.
(15) On the floor of the General Assembly, the candidates presented shall address delegates to the General Assembly for a period not more than ten (10) minutes each and thereafter, accreditation and election shall be conducted.
(16) The candidate with the simply majority votes cast on the floor of the General Assembly shall be declared duly elected to serve in the office for the period of six (6) years.
(17) It is the policy of the Church that while Synods exercise rights of nomination, no Synod should nominate a successor to an office from the same language group with the person to be succeeded.
Sgd:Most Rev. Prof. Emele M. Uka Rev. Ndukwe N. Eme
Prelate/Moderator of the General Assembly Principal Clerk
The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria
22nd November, 2013
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