We Don’t Have Preferred Candidate for Edo Governorship – INEC

• INEC reaffirms commitment to safeguarding Edo voters’ choice, funds disbursed for election at state and LG levels
• Yakubu assures public of free, fair, credible election, says INEC not a political party, has backup machines ready

Ahead of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the electorate’s decision.

INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu emphasized that the responsibility of choosing the next governor lies solely in the hands of Edo voters. He also announced that the funds required to conduct the election had been disbursed at the state and local government levels.

During his visit to Benin to assess the state’s preparedness and observe a mock accreditation exercise, Yakubu assured the public that the election would be free, fair, and credible. He stated, “INEC is not a political party and, therefore, does not have a candidate in this election.”

Yakubu also mentioned that the commission had visited three local government areas to evaluate their readiness, including receiving and organising materials for the election. He added that backup machines had been prepared to address any technical issues that might arise during the election. He noted that the machines used for the mock accreditation in 12 polling units across the three senatorial districts would not be utilized in the main election.