…Assures stakeholders of free access to voting, collation centres
…Only reform of INEC can guarantee credible poll – Analysts
As the race for who becomes the next governor of Edo State in the September, off-cycle gubernatorial election continues to gather momentum, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has intensified efforts to conduct a free and fair poll by replacing several infrastructure and electoral facilities damaged in a recent flooding of its head office in Benin City.
Unlike previous elections, the Commission would also give stakeholders unrestricted access to voting and collation centres in a bid to stem election rigging and other irregularities on Election Day.
INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu said this during a recent quarterly consultative meeting by the Commission.
Furthermore, to check the threat of insecurity which has trailed elections in recent years in Nigeria, the commission constantly meets with security agencies under the auspices of the inter-agency consultative Committee.
Yakubu assured everyone of the commission’s readiness to conduct an acceptable gubernatorial poll in Edo State and seek stakeholders support.
According to him, “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 as well as movable and immovable facilities are being fixed or replaced.
“I want to assure you that security in Edo and Ondo will be a major issue for discussion at the meeting.
“We are as concerned about the safety of your personnel and equipment just as we are about the security of our officials, observers, service providers, and, above all, the voters. We will also work with the security agencies to ensure that accredited journalists are granted unimpeded access to all voting and collation locations.”
The off-cycle poll will be conducted on the background of mistrust among the electorate in Edo state, based on their experience in last year’s general election; many people say that the commission failed to keep its promise of transmitting results electronically in real-time.
The development came despite repeated promises and assurances by the commission in the run up to the polls that results would be transmitted electronically.
Read also: Edo guber: High stakes as Ighodalo aims to defeat Akpata, Okpebholo
Since then, many Nigerians are not happy with the Commission and have little confidence that INEC could be neutral or deliver credible election.
In fact, many local and international Civil Society organisations have questioned the neutrality of the Commission under the present leadership.
But speaking ahead of the poll, INEC chairman said in the last few months, the Commission had conducted all its pre-election formalities of concluding registration of eligible voters.
The INEC’s chairman said the Commission triumphed over initial setbacks of floods in its offices which damaged several bimodal registration machines and quickly mobilised replacements and completed the exercise within the time advertised for the event.
“There was also fire in some offices in the Edo State, where election materials were damaged and which the Commission has overcome,” Yakubu stressed.
But despite the promises, many people are anxious and hoping that the commission would erase the doubts of the past and meet the expectations of Nigerians this time around.
However, based on the experience of the past and disappointments, associated with the commission’s handling of off-cycle gubernatorial elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa States last year, many say there is little to cheer.
As the election draws closer, not everyone is keen and optimistic that the Commission can conduct a gubernatorial election devoid of the usual manipulation and fraud associated with polls in Nigeria in recent years.
“INEC’s failure to meet the expectations of Nigerian citizens, despite repeated promises in the past, still creates some doubts about what may happen in the election, suffice it to say that all eyes are on the electoral umpire to remedy the situation,, Olusola Oludiran, political analyst, said.
Within Edo State, many people have expressed worries about the election, saying that even though the electoral umpire has promised a free and fair exercise, the commission must brace up to perform better.
However, some people are somehow pessimistic that INEC could break its record of mistrust.
“INEC, as we all know, dashed people’s hope in the last general election but you know that INEC, just like other institutions, is not perfect and has its shortcomings, but they have continued to assure us that the Edo election will be very credible and fair.
“From the assurance given by the INEC chairman and other top officials, they have what it takes, as they have been given all support by the government,” Bartholomew Okoudo, president of the Conference of non-Governmental Organisations in Edo State, said.
But Tayo Balogun, public affairs commentator, said INEC must redeem its image in the Edo gubernatorial election, considering the controversy that trailed last year’s gubernatorial in Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa States.
He, however, advocated for reform in the commission for it to be able to deliver on its mandate.
According to him, “The election is an opportunity for INEC to it redeem image, but don’t expect so much, so you would not be disappointed.
“I think many people are not comfortable with the way the commission has performed so far; it is just promises, but when the election comes people’s will would not prevail. It is so sad.
“We saw that in the 2023 general election and even last year’s off-cycle gubernatorial polls. There was nothing to cheer for me; in a sane country major reform should be carried out in INEC and there would be no progress without that.”
The INEC Chairman has appealed to political parties in Edo State to adhere strictly to the timeline for the upload of the list of polling and collation agents to the dedicated portal.
He said, “As we inch closer to election day in Edo State, it is also imperative to remind political parties of the need to adhere strictly to the timeline for the upload of the list of polling and collation agents to the dedicated portal.
“Doing so will enable the commission to produce and deliver the identity cards in good time for the expected 76,823 Polling Unit agents and 3,587 ward, local government, and state collation agents for the 17 political parties participating in the election.”
Furthermore, many stakeholders have also raised concerns about the security situation in the state, weeks leading up to the poll.
Last month, there were some reported cases of gunshots in some parts of the state, a development that created tension among the residents.
Although security agencies doused the tension, observers hoped that such incidents would not rear their ugly heads during the electioneering process.
Many observers say the Edo election is also likely to face a similar trend, as events in the past have suggested. In June, there were some reported cases of gunshots in some parts of the state, a development that created tension among the residents.
Although security agencies doused the tension, it is hoped that such incidents will not rear their ugly heads during the electioneering process. Many fear that these incidents and other reported cases have created tension in the state as election day draws closer.
“Insecurity challenges may undermine the smooth process of the election and ultimately the credibility of the poll. It could also trigger low participation in the election if care is not taken,” Oludiran added.
Political analyst, Kunle Okunade said that INEC’s back is on the wall, and that the commission should immediately begin stakeholders’ engagement and ensure robust voter education and public enlightenment on the guidelines for the conduct of the election.
“They should begin the retraining of the adhoc staff to be used and as well test and retest their electronic voting facilities. For me, the present INEC without restructuring can’t deliver, I hope they keep their promises this time around,” Okunade said.
On the ground in the last few weeks, various political actors have continued to strategise to secure the majority of the people’s votes and return their candidates duly elected with less than two months to the opening voting.
Incumbent Governor, Godwin Obaseki is rounding off his second and final term in office. He was elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), to win re-election in 2016.
So far, the campaigns have progressed well, except for the incident that happened on the Benin airport road when Phillip Shuaibu arrived in the state after the Federal High Court in Abuja invalidated his impeachment and ordered his reinstatement. An Inspector of Police lost his life in the incident and scores of persons were injured.
INEC had published a list of seventeen candidates for the poll, which includes sixteen male and one female candidate.
Patience Ndidi of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) is the only female candidate on the list.
The leading candidates are; Asuerinme Ighodalo of the PDP, Okpebholo Monday of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP).
