Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmoud Yakubu, has disclosed that the collation centre for the polls will be ready soon.
The governorship poll will be held on September 19.
Speaking after a visit to some INEC offices in the state on Saturday, the INEC boss said he was satisfied with the level of work done ahead of the election.
“We have to do a lot of work by relocating to our other office on Sapele Road. We have confidence that collation of results will be done in this building.
“The collation centre is almost ready. This is where journalists will come for collation of results.”
He promised to make the place more conducive, including provision of more power points for camera light and other gadgets and thanked INEC staff for their dedication and commitment to work.
He advised them to maintain neutrality and professionalism during the election.
“I will not take it lightly with anyone found wanting in any way. Let the people choose their governor; we are only concerned about the processes.”
The chairman disclosed that he would return to Benin on September 15 for the signing of a peace accord by political parties.
Earlier, said the political parties will stop campaigning midnight of Thursday before the Saturday of the September 19, Edo State governorship election.
Yakubu also disclosed that the commission was fully prepared and ready for the conduct of the Edo State governorship election.
According to him, the commission had successfully carried 10 out of the 14 activities on schedule for the election.
Yakubu said, “The whole purpose of this visit is to see firsthand the level of preparation. Yes, we received reports at the headquarters, but we feel that it is important to come to Benin and see for ourselves what is on the ground.
“On February 6, 2020, the commission released a timetable and schedule of activities for Edo and Ondo governorship elections. We gave seven- and eight-months notices for the Edo and Ondo elections, respectively. And we itemised 14 activities in the timetable and schedule of activities to be carried out on specific dates beginning with the publication of the notice of election and ending with election day proper.
“I am happy to say that so far we have carried 10 out of the 14 activities on schedule. Not one activity was rescheduled for a minute.
“The last one was the presentation of the voters’ registers to the 14 political parties fielding candidates for the election,” he said.
According to him, the four outstanding activities are the publication of the notice of poll which will be done on Tuesday, followed by the submission of polling agents by the political parties on the same day.
“End of a campaign which is by law 24 hours to the campaign; so, the campaign will stop by midnight of Thursday before the Saturday of election and then the election day itself.
“So, in terms of readiness, we are fully ready for this election,” he added.
The INEC chairman noted that the Edo election would be the first major election the commission would be conducting amid COVID-19 pandemic.
He added that the commission had come out with a policy on how to conduct an election in a pandemic.
“We tested the policy in the small bye-election in Nasarawa state, and we are ready with the big one in Edo.”
Yakubu said the commission was committed to ensuring a safe environment for the peaceful conduct of the election hence the meeting with ICCES, stakeholders and electoral officials in Edo.
He assured that the commission would make the system open and transparent.
