By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has expressed satisfaction with the Commission’s level of preparedness ahead of the Saturday, September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo state .
Yakubu spoke to the media at Western Boys High School 1, Benin City on Tuesday after inspecting an INEC Mock Accreditation Centre at Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area (LGA) on the first day of his 3-Day Readiness Assessments Visit to Edo state.
According to him, the Commission is ready to undertake the crucial assignment of conducting a free, fair and credible off-cycle governorship election in Edo state in less than two weeks, pointing out that he has not seen any impediment to a smooth conduct of the upcoming governorship election in Edo state.
Flanked by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Edo state, Dr Anugbum Onuoha, top INEC officials from the headquarters in Abuja and some Electoral Officers from Edo LGAs , Yakubu stated that there is no doubt in his mind that the election will be hitch-free.
Said he: “We are here for this major off-cycle election. This is a Readiness Assessments Visit to Edo state and we have visited three of the Local Government Areas of Edo state to assess the readiness in terms of the level of preparations, the materials received so far, and how to organise the election in the next 11 days.
“Thereafter, we have also visited two centres to observe the Mock Accreditation of Voters Exercise intended to test-run the integrity of our systems ahead of the election, both for voters Accreditation as well as upload of the results to the I-REV portal.
“And so we have observed and so far so good in terms of readiness of our LGA offices for the election and also for the technology that we are deploying. And from what we have observed from the three LGAs we visited and two Mock Accreditation Centres we went to, we are good to go”.
On his assurances to all the candidates in terms of allowing for a level playing ground, Yakubu stated that INEC has always provided the political parties the level playing ground in the electoral contest, pointing out that the Commission is not a contestant in the election and cannot be seen to be taking sides.
“My assurance to all everyone in Edo state is that on the part of the Commission, we keep saying this, INEC is not a political party, therefore, we don’t have a candidate in this election.
The responsibility of choosing the next governor of Edo state is entirely in the hands of Edo voters.
“And our assurances to all the registered voters in Edo state is to troupe out enmass on election day to vote for the party of their choice and the candidates of their choice and the Commission will protect the integrity of the election and uphold the choice made by the electorate”.
In another development, INEC Chairman on Tuesday presided over the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee On Election Security (ICCES) Meeting at INEC State Office along Benin-Auchi Road, Benin City to ascertain the preparedness of all the security agencies led by Nigeria Police for the September 21 election in Edo state.
Addressing the gathering of Edo State Heads Security Agencies Yakubu reminded members that Edo state governorship election is huge because it is bigger than general elections in many countries in Africa.
He said Edo election will feature 19 political parties with 18 fielding candidates which translates to 18 Governorship and 18 Deputy Governorship candidates just as no fewer than thousands of Polling Agents will represent the parties at different Polling Units.
The INEC boss therefore called on each of the agencies involved in Edo state election to brief the house including the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Edo Dr. Anugbum Onuoha who said the Commission has mobilised all none sensitive materials to all 18 LGAs.
Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Nemi Edwin-Iwo, said he has been able to clampdown on the illegal possession of firearms since he assumed office in August, pointing out that Police has also arrested some bad guys in Edo to make the state habitable to ensure that the election is hitch-free.
Said he: “the IGP is interested in seeing a level playing ground for all the parties and will not allow anyone to disrupt the election”.
The CP assured that Police and sister organisations have mobilised enough to maintain law and order during the election, adding there will be four Policemen at each Polling Units in Edo including armed personnel to provide security during the election.
On what to do with non-state actors during the election, Edwin-Iwo said he has deployed Police operatives to the three Senatorial Districts to confiscate illegal arms and ammunition and arrest those culprits.
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He said he is ensuring that Pre-Election, Election Day and Post-Election problems are dealt with decisively.
Those who attended the ICCES Meeting are INEC National Commissioners Baba Bila, Sam Olumekun, Rhodah Gumus Maj. General Alkali and Nnamdi Okeagu as well as INEC senior management staff Timi Owei, Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity and Rotimi Lawrence Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman.
Also in the meeting are Ms Maria Ernest, Director Department of State Service (DSS); Director EFCC; Commanders of Nigerian Army, Edo state; Air Force and Heads of Nigerian Immigration Service; ICPC; Correctional Service; FRSC; Fire Service; NSDC and National Orientation Agency (NOA).
