The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reacted to “ugly reports of violence” in Edo ahead of the September 19 governorship election in the state.
The INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who spoke on Wednesday during an on-the-spot assessment of its preparedness for the August 8 bye-election in Nasarawa State, said the reports from Edo had been disturbing.
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He said, “We are carefully monitoring what is happening in Edo State and also in Ondo State. The commission will be meeting tomorrow (Thursday) and given the urgency of the situation in Edo State, we may have to immediately call a meeting of not just the candidates and the political parties, but also the campaign councils. We have to stem the ugly report of violence so far or the threat of it.”
On the bye-election in Nasarawa State, Yakubu said the commission was prepared to ensure the exercise would be outstanding as it would serve as “a test run for subsequent elections in the context of the protocols of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
