Edo Poll: INEC Okays Mock Accreditation, Assures Residents of Free, Fair, Credible Election

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, expressed confidence in the commission’s readiness to conduct a free, fair, and credible governorship election in Edo State.

This assurance followed the successful completion of a mock accreditation exercise in three Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state on Tuesday.

During an on-the-spot assessment visit to Egor, Ikpoba Okha, and Oredo LGAs, where the mock accreditation took place, Prof. Yakubu expressed satisfaction with the preparedness of INEC and the effectiveness of the technology to be deployed in the upcoming election scheduled for September 21.

“This is our readiness assessment visit to Edo State, and the purpose is to reach some three Local Government Areas to assess our readiness in terms of preparations and materials received so far, as well as how we are organizing the election in the next 11 days,” Prof. Yakubu stated while addressing journalists in Benin City. “We have also visited two centers to observe the mock accreditation exercise. So far, so good, in terms of the readiness of our Local Government offices and the technology that we are deploying for the election; everything is in perfect condition.”

The mock accreditation exercise was part of INEC’s efforts to test the integrity of its systems, particularly those for voter registration and the upload of results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. The INEC chairman emphasized that the commission had done its best to ensure the smooth conduct of the election and called on the electorate to participate actively by voting for the candidates of their choice.

“INEC is not a political party; therefore, we don’t have a candidate in this election. The responsibility of choosing the governor of Edo State is entirely in the hands of Edo voters. We urge all registered voters in the state to come out and vote for the party and candidate of their choice. The commission will always protect the integrity of the person and uphold the choice made by the electorate,” he affirmed.

Prof. Yakubu also appealed to all stakeholders, including security agencies, political parties, candidates, observers, and the media, to collaborate with INEC to ensure a successful and peaceful election. He assured that there were sufficient backup systems in place, adding that the machines used for the mock accreditation in 12 polling units across the three senatorial districts would not be used on election day to maintain the integrity of the process.

As the state gears up for the governorship election, INEC’s readiness and commitment to a transparent process remain key to ensuring that the will of the people is reflected in the final outcome.