The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, on Thursday, assured stakeholders in Ondo State of the commission’s readiness for the November 16, governorship election.
Yakubu who gave this assurance during a stakeholders’ meeting on the Ondo State governorship election held at the International Culture and Event Centre (The Dome) solicited the cooperation of all stakeholders to ensure a credible election
Speaking, Yakubu said the stakeholders meeting was a tradition convened on the eve of major off-cycle governorship elections usually addressed by the INEC chairman and the Inspector-General of Police.
According to him, the purpose of the meeting was to interact with political parties and candidates, accredited observers, the media and other stakeholders on the preparations for the election.
The chairman said on the part of INEC, active preparations for the election started last year with the release of the timetable and schedule of activities for the election as required by law.
He disclosed that about 2,053,061 registered voters from the 18 local government areas of the state would participate in the exercise
He acknowledged the synergy with the security and law enforcement agencies and said “we underscored the importance of providing security during the election to guarantee personal safety and protection of observers, the media, and our own officials and, above all, the citizens that will vote during the election.
“Let me reassure stakeholders that INEC is ready for the election. We are deploying the BVAS machines for voter accreditation at polling units and for the upload of results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
“Only yesterday, we conducted mock accreditation in 12 polling units across six Local Government Areas in the three Senatorial Districts of the State. The purpose was to test-run our deployment of technology to safeguard the credibility of the election.
“I am glad to report that the mock was successful and the result can be viewed on the IReV portal. But let me also quickly add that the machines used for the mock accreditation and the training of officials will not be used on Election Day.
“We have sufficient machines for the election which have been configured for voter accreditation and the upload of result distinct from those used for mock accreditation and training.”
Yakubu warned staff of the electoral body that against manipulation during the election, saying there will be consequences for dereliction of duty in any way or form and urged political parties to continue to restrain their supporters from any disruptive behaviour.
Yakubu disclosed that a peace accord involving all political parties participating in the election would be signed on Friday and said “our respected former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, will preside over the occasion in his capacity as the Chairman of the National Peace Committee.”
Also, speaking during the stakeholders meeting, the Inspector General of Police, (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, said that ” the Nigeria Police, apart from additional manpower from sister agencies, is going to deploy a total of 22,239 officers for the exercise.
Speaking through the AIG, zone 17, Abiodun Asabi, the IGP, appealed to all stakeholders to “eschew violence, avoid the do-or-die approach, should not employ thuggery and play the game according to the rules with sportsmanship spirit that will enable the loser to lose gallantly and the winner to be magnanimous in victory”
Egbetokun said that “it should be stated that violators of electoral laws run the risk of diligent prosecution may win tomorrow- there is always hope for the at loses today.
He said that “On our part as security agencies, we promise to leave no stone unturned in order to provide hitch-free, and conducive atmosphere prior, during and the post election security at the conclusion of the process. We shall ensure that the success recorded in the Edo election will be improved upon.”
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