EDO STATE: Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has fixed 20 of August 2024 as the date to roll out the official publication of voters register with copies given to the different political parties.
Recall that the Edo State governorship election is slated for September 21 and 17 political parties are participating in the exercise.
The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Anugbum Onuoha, who announced this at a stakeholders meeting with traditional, religious, and political parties leaders, therefore, called on all political parties participating in the election to abide by the electoral guidelines to avoid violence.
He said the political parties did not play by the rules for not informing the commission about the commencement of their campaigns.
“I want to tell the stakeholders that the official publication of voters register would be done on August 20, 2024 with copies presented to the different political parties.
“The campaigns started on April 24, 2024. It is our duty to monitor campaigns to ensure that the political parties play by the rules
“At the local government level, inform the Electoral officers that you (political parties) are going for campaigns and billboards should not be destroyed.
“This interaction session became necessary to inform the stakeholders on progress being made as regards the conduct of the the election.
“The commission is ready to furnish all political parties with relevant information that would lead to a peaceful, free, and credible Edo governorship election”, he said and assured the parties of a level playing ground devoid of compromise and favouritism.
Onuoha also said that the recruitment of observers for the election has been concluded while the recruitment of ad hoc staff was ongoing even as he assured the stakeholders that the Edo State Security Network would not be part of security agencies for the election.
He warned that vote buying and selling were electoral offences and that perpetrators would be prosecuted by the relevant authorities, just as he disclosed that BVAS for the election were being configured and the logistics arrangement had began.