INEC vows Edo guber election will hold despite setback

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, converses with prospective voters on the queue at the Western Boys High School Voter Registration Centre, Benin City, Edo State…yesterday.

• PDP chieftain rallies Akoko-Edo residents for Ighodalo
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, said that critical facilities needed for the Edo State Governorship Election would be provided regardless of the setback suffered by the Commission, following a torrential rainfall resulting in heavy flooding that ravaged the INEC office in the state, destroying sensitive materials.

The Guardian reports that movable and immovable items were submerged, including vehicles parked at the premises. It was also gathered that office furniture, equipment and some of the voter enrollment machines already configured for the forthcoming Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) were affected by the flood disaster.
Speaking with newsmen in Benin during an assessment visit to the Edo INEC Head Office, the National Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, said that the Edo governorship election, slated for September 2, 2024, will proceed unhindered.

Yakubu said that the visit is to engage with staff and carry out an assessment of the facility to assess the damage and setback done as a result of the flood.

The INEC Chairman pledged the readiness of the Commission to carry on with its mandate, saying: “We are here to see what happened to our facilities, following a torrential rainfall last Friday, May 24, 2024.”
“Whatever we have lost in terms of critical facilities, we will replace.”

He said that INEC has responded speedily, following the assessment visit to ensure the CVR exercise will not be affected, while the preparation for the guber election will continue.

Yakubu added: “The Commission is delivering additional machines from neighbouring states to make up for the shortfall.”

MEANWHILE, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Abiodun Johnson, yesterday, urged eligible voters in Akoko-Edo Local Council to mobilise those who are not yet registered but of age to participate in the on-going CVR.

Johnson made this call at an interactive session with his Ward 1 women and executive members of PDP National Campaign Marshals and leaders of the party from other parts of the council, saying that with the appointment of a Deputy Governor from the area and the quality of PDP’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo, and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie, Akoko-Edo would deliver not less than 95 per cent of their votes for the PDP.

Speaking during the meeting, Johnson said: “This meeting is all because of Ighodalo and Ogie to know how we are going to mobilise and talk to our people about what we must do to ensure victory on the day of election, which is September 21. I am impressed by the turnout, and I am convinced that Akoko-Edo is ready.”