The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it reviewed the last governorship election in Edo State and is determined to improve its performance in the forthcoming elections.
The chairman of the commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, who said this at the Ondo State governorship election stakeholders meeting in Akure yesterday, said it has identified 16 areas of improvement on the Edo governorship election for the Saturday election in Ondo State.
Yakubu said that Edo was a success and the commission must not go lower but improve on it, adding that Ondo is going to be better than Edo.
According to him, “The Commission has reviewed the last governorship election in Edo State’.
“We are determined to continue improving our performance. For this reason, we identified 16 areas of improvement, including logistics, prompt response to Smart Card Reader hitches on election day, the menace of vote-buying during elections and compliance with COVID-19 protocols.”
Yakubu assured that votes would count in the Ondo election.
He reiterated that the commitment of INEC is to ensure that the choice of who becomes the next governor of Ondo State is entirely in the hands of the voters.
“I wish to assure all eligible voters that every vote will count and only the choice made by the people of Ondo State will determine the outcome of the election”.
“This technology was first deployed in the Nasarawa Central State Constituency bye-election and most recently, in the Edo State governorship election”.
“The same technology will be deployed for the Ondo State governorship election this Saturday,” he added.
The chairman appealed to all political parties, candidates and their supporters for peaceful conduct, saying their votes will count.
Meanwhile, the National Peace Committee (NPC) has called for free, fair, credible and peaceful governorship poll in Ondo State.
A statement signed by its chairman, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), he called on every stakeholder in the 10 October, 2020 election to live up to the principles of impartiality, neutrality and statesmanship.
Also, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has warned that the partisan disposition of transport unions, including the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the motorcyclists association could pose challenges, which may create credibility and logistics problems.
CDD observation of the political environment in Ondo State indicates that the NURTW and the Okada riders’ union will play a major role in the complex web of partisan alliances, which will influence the outcome of the election.
CDD director, Idayat Hassan in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday in Abuja, also said it has identified a number of positive and negative trends, which could shape the election and enhance the credibility of its outcome.
