Home Editorials INEC is ready to conduct guber election in Edo – Wariowei

INEC is ready to conduct guber election in Edo – Wariowei

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By Bisi Olaniyi, Southsouth Bureau Chief

The Head of Voter Education and Publicity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo State, Timidi Wariowei, has disclosed that the electoral umpire is ready for conduct of the September 19 governorship election in Edo State.

He also revealed that many eligible voters in Edo would be disenfranchised during the crucial election, in view of the inability of the commission to carry out the continuous voter registration and distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), owing to the ravaging Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).

Wariowei stated these Thursday in Benin, while speaking at a Civil Society Organisations’ (CSOs’) roundtable on Edo election, which was organised by the Centre for Democracy and Development.

The INEC’s head, who spoke on: “Governorship election in Edo: Issues at stake and their implications on the conduct of credible election,” insisted that the commission had no problem with funding.

He revealed that the need to protect Edo voters against COVID-19 pandemic was placed above other interests.

Wariowei said: “The continuous voter registration would have taken care of persons that have attained the age of 18 years, after the last exercise and those that were unable to register for one reason or another, but it could not take place, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“The coronavirus pandemic did not also allow us (INEC) to carry out distribution of the PVCs.

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“We do not want to be accused unnecessarily or seen to be undermining the voters, but for their protection.”

INEC’s head of voter education and publicity also reiterated that in spite of the COVID-19 challenge, the governorship election in Edo must be conducted, to avoid constitutional crisis, since a governor must be inaugurated on November 12 this year.

He said: “All voters at the polling units must wear facemasks. There must also be a distance of two metres or six feet between each voter in the queue at the polling units.

“We will also be providing alcohol-based disinfectants to be used to disinfect the card readers after every accreditation.

“Training of Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) and Collation Officers (COs) will be the last to be done, a week to the election.”

Wariowei also reiterated that fourteen political parties met the deadline for the submission of their candidates for Edo governorship election.

Also speaking, Nurudeen Asunogie of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, urged INEC to ensure free, fair and credible governorship election in Edo.

Asunogie added that election in the volatile South-south state must be devoid of violence, for the voters to be able to cast their votes for preferred candidates.

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