On Tuesday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed its full preparedness for the upcoming governorship election. The Commission has disbursed all necessary funds to the state offices for the election.
INEC National Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this announcement during a visit to Edo State to evaluate the Commission’s readiness for the election. His visit included assessments of the materials received and preparations in the local government areas.
Prof. Yakubu was accompanied by National INEC Commissioner for Edo, Delta, and Bayelsa States, Prof. Rhoda Gamus; State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha; and Administrative Secretary of INEC, Edo State, Emmanuel Ogbodu. They toured the Oredo, Egor, and Ikpoba/Okha local government areas.
“This visit is part of our readiness assessment,” Yakubu said. “We are here to evaluate preparations, check the materials received, and see how the local governments are organizing for the election in the next 11 days.”
He assured that all necessary funds have been provided, and no complaints have been received regarding financial resources. “The funds have been fully allocated to the state and subsequently to the local government areas,” Yakubu stated.
The Chairman also reported on a recent mock accreditation exercise conducted to test the integrity of the Commission’s systems. “We have visited two centers for this mock exercise, which was aimed at evaluating both voter accreditation and result uploading to the IREC portal,” he explained. “Our observations have been positive regarding the readiness of local government offices and the technology we are deploying.”
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Yakubu expressed satisfaction with the preparation levels observed in Oredo, Egor, and Ikpoba/Okha, as well as the mock exercise centers. “We are confident in our readiness for the election,” he added.
He emphasized that INEC remains neutral and does not support any political party or candidate. “The choice of Edo State’s next governor rests solely with the voters,” Yakubu said, urging all registered voters to participate in the election and make their choices known.
The INEC Chairman assured the public that the Commission is committed to conducting a free, fair, and credible election on September 21. “I’ve also met with Electoral Officers from all 18 local government areas to address any concerns they might have. We aim to resolve issues promptly and ensure smooth election operations,” he said.
Prof. Yakubu also addressed concerns about potential system failures, reassuring that measures are in place to mitigate such risks.