Lucky Obukohwo, ReportingÂ
The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has Bemoaned the shootings that characterized the Commission’s Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise at Oredo ward 4, Egor and other centres in the local government areas of Edo State.
He expressed his displeasure at the meeting with the leadership of the various political parties and other security agencies in the state, held at the Edo state’s headquarters of the commission.
Prof. Mahmood said that such shootings were uncalled for noting that it is only the people that have the right to decide who govern them, therefore, their rights must be well protected and that they should not be prevented from doing so.
Mahmood who reiterated his previous experiences in the conducts of two conservative governorship elections in the state (2016 and 2020 and how they were postponed due to violence, said that this forthcoming governorship election had earlier started in a good note but wondered why the reported pockets of crises here and there at this point in time.
He assured the people of the state that the commission is poised to conduct free, fair and credible election in the state.
He also said that the commission is going to rely on resources from the neighbouring states to make up for the facilities that were destroyed by the recent flood that submerged its building in the state.
Speaking also, the Edo State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Tony Aziegbemi said the state Commissioner of Police Funsho Adegboye, should carry out his investigation and bring those who went about shooting at the various CVR centres to book.
He said that, that is the only way to nip such an action in its bud adding that failure to do so now, the possibility of guaranteeing free, fair and credible election in the state is very slim.
Dr. Aziegbemi also called on the INEC to extend the time for the CVR exercise in the state to cover up for the number of days that the CVR machines have suffered some technical hitches.
Speaking also, the state Commissioner of Police Funsho Adegboye, said that the police and its sister agencies are ready to provide a level playing ground for all the political parties in the state, therefore, the parties involved must play the game according to its rules.
He said that the police will not spare anyone bearing arms, stressing that anyone caught will be dealt with accordingly.
CP Adegboye added that political parties should make the job of policing in the forthcoming governorship election easy for them be playing the game according to its lay down rules just as he said that they are not happy when some of the political parties are saying that they have been planted in by some individuals or political parties.
Earlier, the Edo State Resident Electoral Commission (REC), Dr Anugbum Onuoha said that the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu is in the state to have a first hand information from the leadership of the various political parties in the state.
“This meeting was called because of the happenings especially on security matters.
“Some of the centres have been affected by shootings, like Oredo ward 4, Egor and many other local governments.
“Some of our staff have been affected by these shootings. So, it is important that we interact with these security agencies and see how we can prefer solutions”, Onuoha said.