INEC fixes Sept 10, Nov 26 for Edo, Ondo gov elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Edo and Ondo state governorship elections for September 10 and November 26 respectively.

Nick Dazang, the commission’s deputy director of publicity and voter education, made the disclosure in an interview with NAN on Thursday.

Dazang said the timetable for the elections would soon be made public.

“When the timetable for the elections is out, we will commence the processes for budgeting and implementation for the elections,’’ he said.

Commenting on the conduct of the re-run elections so far, Dazang said the exercises had been successful and peaceful except in Kogi Central and Imo where little challenges were witnessed.

“The re-run elections we have had from January 27 have been peaceful except the challenge we had in Kogi, it has been peaceful generally.

“Those of Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba and Niger states were peaceful.

“The only place we had challenges was Kogi central- Adavi local government where our office was burnt down before the election.

“Fortunately, that did not affect the election in the area because by that time we had not taken the sensitive materials to the office.

“In one of the wards in the same senatorial district, some hoodlums confiscated the result sheet and tore it.

“That was why as at that time we were unable to make a return of the election. But fortunately, we fell back on the duplicates, based on that, we were able to declare a winner.’’

Dazang said in Imo, the commission suspended one senatorial and three state house of assembly elections based on security advice.

He said people in the state were demonstrating and making all sorts of allegations against INEC staff but investigation by the commission revealed that the allegations were baseless.

“They just wanted to make use of that to stop the elections. So they started demonstrating,” he said.

“Given that the commission suspended the re-run election in the state indefinitely, based on advice from the security agencies.’’

Dazang added that the commission was preparing to conduct the remaining elections in other states in a free, fair and credible manner.

“The major one will be that of Rivers, on March 19, where we have three senatorial districts, one federal constituency and house of assembly elections.

“Already, the commission has identified electoral officers that are going to conduct the elections and they have reported at the state capital, Port-Harcourt, for training.’’

He said after their training, the personnel would train other workers that would be participating in the conduct of the elections in the state.

He urged all stakeholders to collaborate with the commission in ensuring the elections were peaceful.