Edo Governorship Election: Parties Must Play by Rules – INEC

• INEC urges political parties in Edo to adhere to electoral guidelines, emphasizing the importance of notifying the commission about campaign activities
• Resident Electoral Commissioner Onuoha reassures stakeholders of a level playing field and announces the publication of the voters’ register soon

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged political parties participating in the upcoming Edo governorship election to adhere strictly to the established electoral guidelines.

Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, the resident electoral commissioner (REC) in Edo, appealed to this during an interactive session held in Benin on Thursday. The state’s traditional, religious, and political party leaders attended the session.

Onuoha pointed out that some political parties had failed to comply with the rules by not notifying the commission about the commencement of their campaigns, which officially began on April 24. He emphasized the importance of informing electoral officers at the local government level about campaign activities.

“We must monitor campaigns to ensure political parties play by the rules, ensuring that billboards are not destroyed during campaigns,” Onuoha said.

The REC explained that the interactive session was essential to update stakeholders on the progress in preparing for the September 21 governorship election. He reassured political parties that INEC was committed to providing all necessary information to ensure a peaceful, free, and credible election. Onuoha also promised that the commission would maintain a level playing field, free from compromise or favouritism.

He announced that the voters’ register would be officially published on Tuesday, with copies available to all political parties. Onuoha also stated that the Edo State Security Network would not be involved in the election’s security arrangements. Additionally, he mentioned that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices were being configured and that logistics preparations had begun.

Alhaji Abdulazeez Igbinidu, Chairman of the Edo Council for Islamic Affairs, commended INEC for its progress and urged the commission to take further steps to address issues encountered in previous elections. He also called on political parties and stakeholders strictly following the electoral guidelines to ensure a credible and peaceful election.