INEC chairman urges security agencies to ensure smooth Edo, Ondo gov polls

Ahead of the forthcoming Edo and Ondo governorship elections, the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has urged security agencies to leverage on the success of the previous election in both states.

Yakubu stated this at a meeting of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security in Abuja on Friday.

The Edo governorship poll is scheduled to take place in September 21, 2024 and the Ondo governorship poll will be held on November 16, 2024.

Only 12 parties have uploaded the particulars of their candidates to INEC portal with only two days left to the deadline ahead of the Edo poll.

Seventeen out of 19 parties have indicated interest in participating in the Ondo governorship election.

The INEC chairman noted that in the last elections in both states, security agencies prepared themselves early enough which led to the smooth conduct of the elections.

He said, “It is important to start security preparations very early. In particular, the number of personnel and other assets to be deployed to strategic locations should be determined and mobilised early enough.

“It was this proactive approach that led to the successful conduct of the last governorship election in Edo State on 19th September 2020 and in Ondo State on 10th October 2020. There were no security incidents, materials were delivered promptly, logistics deployed smoothly, polling units opened on time, voters attended to efficiently and results collated and announced transparently.

“Let us replicate the successful conduct of the last governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States. In fact, working together, we should ensure that the 2024 governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states are an improvement on the success story of 2020.”

Yakubu stated that at the moment, Edo has 2,501,081 registered voters, 192 Registration Areas/Wards and 4,519 Polling Units while Ondo State has 1,991,344 registered voters, 203 Registration Areas/Wards and 3,933 Polling Units.

Yakubu added that the commission is remobilising to conclude the outstanding state constituencies elections disrupted by hoodlums in Enugu and Kano states.

“You may recall that two months ago, precisely on 23rd January 2024, we met to review the security arrangement for the bye-elections and court-ordered re-run elections in 48 Federal and State Constituencies across the country.

“Except for two state constituencies in Enugu and Kano states, the elections have been concluded and winners declared. We are remobilising to conclude the outstanding elections which were disrupted by hoodlums,” he said.