DSS, Police yet to formally inform us of shift in Edo poll – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it was yet to confirm the veracity of the statement, purportedly issued by security ‎agencies, calling for the postponement of this Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State.

INEC Deputy Director, Voter Education and Publicity (VEP), Nick Dazang said the Commission has not been officially communicated by any of the security agencies.

“As a matter of fact, we got the information from the media. Some of your colleagues have been calling; that’s how we got to know about it,” Dazang stated.

He disclosed the INEC has just finished stakeholders’ meeting in Edo State while the Commission’s Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu was planning another visit to the state to put finishing touches for smooth conduct of the polls.

“We’ve just finished stakeholders’ meeting there, chairman and other National Commissioners are meeting here, maybe subsequently, we will have an idea. In fact, we will have to confirm the veracity of that statement,” he said.

He promised to communicate to the media any action by the Commission regarding the election.

Earlier, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria police asked INEC to postpone Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

At a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday, Don Awunah, police spokesman, and Garba Abdullahi, an agent of the DSS‎, cited security concerns.

In a swift reaction, the Ahmed Makarfi-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) described the advice of the security agencies as ‘false alarm’.

A statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Dayo Adeyeye, asked President Muhammadu Buhari to caution the security agencies and direct them to provide full security for the election.

The opposition party wondered why the security advice came a day after the President visited the state for the APC mega rally.

“We hope that this advice from the security agencies is not in concert with the APC of having seen the indices of loosing the Edo State Gubernatorial Election to the PDP.

“It is on record that INEC recently conducted a ‘hitch free’ Senatorial By-Election in Borno State which is a high-point of insurgency in the country but the Security Agencies saw no reason to call-off the election. It is therefore lamentable to hear from these same security agencies that the election cannot be held in a State where in less than 24 hours, the President and all the APC leaders and members had an uninterrupted rally.

“We are calling on the President, Muhammadu Buhari to caution the security agencies and direct them to provide full security, and also to desist doing anything that will jeopardize this forthcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State. We are equally counting on INEC not to succumb to this false alarm by acting independently and holding election as scheduled.’’