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We’re ready for Edo election, says INEC

Published

4 years ago

September 18, 2020

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TRACKING_____The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it is ready for tomorrow’s governorship election in Edo State. The commission, in a statement by National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, said sensitive materials for the election have been distributed from custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Benin City to the various local government areas in the state. “Agents of the political parties involved in the election, as well as those of the accredited Observer Groups, observed the distribution of the sensitive materials,” he added.

Okoye assured that INEC had made adequate preparations for the governorship election and called on the relevant stakeholders to continue to observe the distribution of the sensitive materials as they were being moved further down the chain to the Registration Area Centres (RACs). On Ondo State governorship election, the National Commissioner said INEC has granted an extension of time for recruitment of ad hoc staff for the election. According to Okoye, “As a result of the disruption of normal processes in the electoral process occasioned by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the commission could not get the full complement of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members required as ad hoc staff for the Ondo State governorship election scheduled for 10th October 2020.

“Consequently, the commission had to broaden its net to recruit the required ad hoc staff from tertiary institutions. “However, the NYSC authorities recently informed the commission that they are now in a position to mobilise more corps members for the Ondo State governorship election.” He noted that the notification came after the portal for the recruitment of ad hoc staff for was closed on August 21. “After due consideration, and to restore the corps members to their role in the electoral process, the commission has decided to allow the recruitment of these additional NYSC members only. “A special link to the registration form has, therefore, been provided to NYSC authorities to be used for this purpose,” he said.

The National Commissioner disclosed that two political parties, the Zenith Labour Party and Boot Party are not participating in the October 31 by-election in 15 constituencies that cut across 11 states. He explained that ZLP and Boot Party failed to submit list of candidates even though one of them had conducted their primaries. “Two political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) submitted nominations for all the constituencies being contested. “The remaining 14 political parties nominated candidates in some senatorial districts and some state constituencies,” Okoye said