Edo/Ondo Guber: INEC urges political parties to abide by deadlines

* IPAC asks FG to scrap SIECs

By Balarabe Oshiafi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has advised political parties to be disciplined in sticking to electoral timetable and regulate electoral office seekers as such as Edo and Ondo governorship elections draw nearer.

Also political parties under the aegis of Inter Party Advisory Council ( IPAC)  has stressed the feasibility in federal government scrapping state independent electoral commissions (SIECs) and giving INEC the legal enablement to conduct local government elections. 

In his opening remarks at a stakeholders meeting in Abuja on Monday, the Chairman of INEC Professor Mahmood Yakubu said the umpire remains dutiful and will deliver credible elections in Edo and Ondo.

He said: “It is my pleasure to welcome you to the third regular quarterly consultative meeting for this year. You may recall that our first meeting for the year was held on Tuesday 19th March 2024 while the second took place two months ago on Monday 13th May 2024. You may also recall that the last meeting focused mainly on the forthcoming Edo State and Ondo State Governorship elections. Today, we will furthermore brief you on the bye-elections that occurred since our last meeting.

“It is now 53 days to the Edo State Governorship election coming up on Saturday 21st September 2024. Our preparations are going on in earnest. I am glad to report that we have recovered from the torrential rainfall that resulted in the severe flooding of our State Headquarters in Benin City two months ago. 

“The damage to the physical infrastructure has been fixed, vehicles have been repaired while other movable and immovable facilities have been serviced, refurbished or are being gradually replaced. We have delivered additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines to Edo State for the training of election duty personnel as well as contingency for Election Day support. 

“We have since published the final list of candidates but we are once again sharing the list with party leaders at this meeting in view of the recent Court Order mandating the Commission to replace the running mate of the candidate of the Labour Party. The amended list is already published on our website.

“Following the conclusion of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), the display of the register for claims and objections by citizens, and further data clean-up using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), the final register for the 2024 Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States are being finalised. Before the end of this week, the Commission will publish the final figures of new voters in the two States as well as their distribution by gender, age, occupation and disability. 

“Thereafter, the timetable for the collection of uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) from previous registration and new registrants from the latest CVR will be published.

“The Commission is aware that going by our Timetable and Schedule of Activities, the register of voters will be published not later than 30 days before the date fixed for the election. 

“We wish to reassure the Chairmen of political parties that each party fielding candidates in the forthcoming Governorship election in Edo State will receive the softcopy of the register on 20th August 2024 while that of Ondo State will take place on 15th October 2024.”