By Milcah Tanimu
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, visited Benin City yesterday to oversee a mock accreditation exercise in preparation for the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.
The mock accreditation was conducted at polling units in Oredo and Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Areas. This exercise aimed to test the reliability of the commission’s systems ahead of the election.
Prof. Yakubu described the visit as a standard procedure before major off-cycle elections. He explained that the assessment covered several local government areas, including Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha, and Egor, to review the readiness of election materials and preparation levels.
“We have observed mock accreditation at two centers to test our systems’ integrity for voter accreditation and result transmission. Our observations indicate that local government offices are well-prepared, and the technology for the election is functioning as expected,” Yakubu stated.
He assured voters of a transparent and credible election process, emphasizing that INEC is impartial and not aligned with any political party. “The choice of the next Governor of Edo State lies solely with the voters. We urge all registered voters to participate actively and select their preferred candidates,” he added.
Yakubu also highlighted that funding for the election has been secured and allocated to local government areas. He confirmed that adequate backup BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System) machines are available to ensure smooth operations during the election.
The INEC Chairman, accompanied by Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Edo, and Prof. Rhoda Gamus, the National Commissioner overseeing Edo, Delta, and Bayelsa, expressed satisfaction with the election preparations and called for continued cooperation from all stakeholders, including security agencies, political parties, candidates, observers, and the media.
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