Okwe Obi, Benin
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has assured Nigerians of its readiness to conduct a free, fair and credible governorship election in Edo State, slated for September 19, 2020.
INEC National Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, gave the assurance yesterday in Benin, Edo State, at an inter-agency consultative committee meeting with the presence of security heads.
Yakubu noted that although the election would be conducted at a time the country is grappling with COVID-19 pandemic, but pledged to ensure that the exercise turns out satisfactorily.
He said: “We having been receiving report at the headquarters but we thought that it’s important to come down to Benin and see for ourselves what is truly on the ground.
“In terms of readiness, we are ready for this election. We have come with the policy to conduct election in COVID-19. We test run the policy in a small election in Nasarawa State and now we are ready with the big one which is the Edo governorship election.”
He explained that the consultative meeting was to address looming security fears in the state.
“We have being receiving reports of the Security situation in Edo State and it is part of what we are going to discuss with members of ICCES. The environment ought to be secured for the Commission to conduct election.
“We taking every step to ensure that the environment is very conducive for us to conduct election. I trust that security agencies are fully prepared to deal with potential problem areas.
“We are also in touch with the Office of the National Peace Committee chaired by the respectful former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar and there is a plan to sign the peace accord in Benin closer to the election.
“The National Peace Committee engages political parties at the national level but for the first time, given the significance of the election we are conducting in Edo State, the National Committee is coming down to Benin to ensure that all parties and all aspirants are committed to a peaceful process.”
Meanwhile, Edo State Police Commissioner, Babatunde Johnson Kokumo, said there was no cause for alarm as measure were already in place to prevent any breach of peace.
“On security arrangement for Edo guber 2020, I am to say on behalf of security services in Edo State that we are prepared to address the issue of election security in Edo State from the lands, water and the air.
“Every training arrangements have been made. INEC has arrange for training security personnel that will participate in election duties. It commenced for sometime and it is still ongoing,” he said.