On Tuesday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that it has secured the necessary funding for the upcoming off-cycle governorship election in Edo State.
During a facility inspection in Benin City, INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu revealed that all financial resources for the election, scheduled for September 21, 2024, have been received and allocated to both the state and its 18 local government offices, prior to the recent fuel price hike.
Yakubu expressed his contentment with the non-sensitive equipment that is already in place for the electoral process.
“Our visit to Edo State is part of our routine checks ahead of significant off-cycle elections. This readiness assessment aims to evaluate the preparations in various local government areas,” he stated.
The Commission has visited three local government areas to review the readiness status regarding the materials received and the organization of the electoral process, which is just 11 days away.
Additionally, two centers were observed conducting a mock accreditation exercise to test the reliability of their systems for voter accreditation and result uploads to the INEC Results Viewing (IREC) portal.
“We are pleased with the local government offices’ level of preparation in the areas we visited, including Oredo, Egor, and Ikpoba/Okha, and the two centers for the mock exercise. We are prepared to move forward,” he remarked.
Yakubu noted that the assessments indicate a positive outlook regarding the local government offices’ readiness and the technology being employed for the election.
He reassured the people of Edo State of the Commission’s dedication to ensuring a credible, fair, and transparent electoral process, emphasizing that INEC itself does not have a candidate in the race.
“The choice of the next governor lies solely with the electorate who will cast their votes. I want to assure everyone in Edo State that INEC is not a political party and does not endorse any candidate. The power to elect the next governor rests entirely with the voters of Edo,” he stated.
He encouraged all registered voters in the state to actively participate in the election, casting their votes for their preferred parties and candidates.
Yakubu further affirmed that the Commission will safeguard the integrity of the electoral process and respect the choices made by the electorate.
