By Paul Efiong The Edo state governorship election will hold as scheduled on Saturday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said.
After a crucial meeting on Thursday, the Electoral Body announced on its official Twitter handle @inecnigeria that the election will go ahead despite security warning.
“INEC will proceed with the Governorship election in Edo state on Saturday 10 September, 2016 as earlier scheduled” the tweet reads.
Prompt News Online recalls that the Nigeria Police and Department of State Services had on Wednesday, jointly advised INEC to postpone the election billed for Saturday, citing credible intelligence report.
DCP Don Awunah, Force spokesperson and Garba Abdullahi of DSS, had in a joint statement issued stated in part, “While election is important, the security agencies cannot allow the peace of the country to be disrupted, and we will continue to remain vigilant and ensure consolidation of the successes gained in the current counter-insurgency fight.
“ It is in regard of these that we are appealing to INEC which has the legal duty to regulate elections in the country to consider the need for possible postponement of the date of the election in Edo State in order to enable security agencies deal decisively with the envisaged terrorist threats.
“While the Police/DSS remain mindful of the inconveniences this request may cause the various political stakeholders, it is our strong resolve that security agencies need not be distracted from ensuring a peaceful and secured Nigeria now and always.”
