Toba Owojaiye reporting
Benin City
Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has condemned the lack of transparency and communication from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during his early morning visit to the State Collation Centre in Benin City.
Truth Live News gathered that he revealed that his visit was prompted by the need to personally investigate reports of irregularities in the collation process after multiple failed attempts to contact INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Anugbum Onuoha.
“At around 1:00 am, I received alarming reports that the collation process was allegedly being moved without any prior notice, and our agents were being barred from participating,” Obaseki stated, expressing his outrage over the deliberate lack of communication.
Despite arriving at the centre by 2:00 am, the governor was met with an empty venue and no clear updates from INEC. “I was there because INEC blatantly refused to provide any information about the process, which raised serious concerns about the integrity of the proceedings,” Obaseki said, condemning the silence from electoral officials.
It was only after engaging with Deputy Inspector General of Police Frank Mba that INEC finally issued a statement—hours later at 5:00 am—announcing that collation would resume at 10:00 am.
The governor decried the situation as unacceptable and indicative of deeper flaws in the handling of the electoral process.