Adhere To Rules Of Engagement – INEC Advises Political Parties

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has advised leaders of political parties to play by the rules,.

According to him, they cannot take advantage of the forthcoming governorship election process through violence.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu gave the advice at a meeting with leaders of political parties and members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in Benin, the Edo state capital.

Prof Mahmoud who said that only the people of Edo State would determine who becomes their next governor, stressed that INEC would protect their choices.

He explained that he was in the state to assess the impact of the May 24 flood on the commission’s head office in the state and to monitor the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CRV).

He said that INEC had started seeing some snippets and was not happy with the reports from Idiya College of Oredo Ward 4 and Owan West.

He urged leaders of parties to keep the peace of the state as demonstrated in 2016 and 2020 when there was tension, but the elections were still conducted peacefully.

The INEC Chairman stressed the need for party leaders in the state to go beyond mobilising support for voters’ registration, but also for the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Anugbum Onuoha, said that the meeting was called because of the happenings in the state especially security matters.

On his part the state Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adeboye, assured all political parties of enabling environment without fear or favour.

Kayode Oyedare, Edited By Grace Namiji