Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Mahmood Yakubu has expressed confidence in the commission’s readiness to conduct a free, fair, and credible governorship election in Edo State scheduled for September 21. His comments followed an on-the-spot assessment visit to the three Local Government Areas (LGAs) on Tuesday where a mock accreditation exercise was held.
The mock accreditation took place in Egor, Ikpoba Okha, and Oredo LGAs. Yakubu’s visit aimed to evaluate the preparedness of INEC, including the effectiveness of their systems and the condition of election materials. After observing the exercise, he assured journalists that everything was in order for the upcoming election.
Yakubu highlighted that the mock accreditation was designed to test the integrity of INEC’s systems, including voter registration and the uploading of results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. He noted that the technology and logistics for the election were functioning well, and the commission is fully prepared.
Emphasizing INEC’s neutrality, Yakubu reminded voters that the commission does not endorse any candidate or political party. He encouraged registered voters in Edo State to participate actively in the election, stressing that the responsibility for electing the governor lies solely with the electorate.
Yakubu also appealed to various stakeholders, including security agencies, political parties, candidates, observers, and the media, to collaborate with INEC to ensure a successful election.
He assured that there are sufficient backup systems in place and that the machines used for the mock accreditation will not be deployed in the actual election, ensuring the integrity of the process.
