The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the total number of eligible voters for the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states will be revealed soon. This information was disclosed by the Chairman of the Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, on Monday while addressing the leadership of various political parties in Abuja.
Professor Yakubu informed the gathering that the list of new voters added to the register in both states is ready. He stated that the eligible parties and their candidates in Edo State will receive the soft copy of the voter register on 20th August 2024, while those in Ondo State will receive theirs on 15th October 2024.
“Following the conclusion of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), the display of the register for claims and objections by citizens, and further data clean-up using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), the final register for the 2024 Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States are being finalized. Before the end of this week, the Commission will publish the final figures of new voters in the two States as well as their distribution by gender, age, occupation, and disability,” said Professor Yakubu.
He continued, “Thereafter, the timetable for the collection of uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) from previous registration and new registrants from the latest CVR will be published.”
Professor Yakubu also reassured the political party leaders that, according to the Commission’s Timetable and Schedule of Activities, the register of voters will be published not later than 30 days before the election date. “We wish to reassure the Chairmen of political parties that each party fielding candidates in the forthcoming Governorship election in Edo State will receive the soft copy of the register on 20th August 2024 while that of Ondo State will take place on 15th October 2024,” he stated.
In addition, Professor Yakubu emphasized the importance of political parties submitting their list of agents by the given deadline. “As the Edo State Governorship election approaches, I wish to remind leaders of political parties of your obligation to submit the list of your agents by uploading the required information, including photographs, to the dedicated portal. This requirement is listed as item 9 on the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election released by the Commission nearly a year ago on 26th September 2023,” he said.
He expressed concern over the indifference shown by some political parties towards meeting the deadline. “As of yesterday, Sunday 28th July 2024, 14 political parties have uploaded the details of 38,354 polling agents and 819 collation agents for the Edo State Governorship election. Three parties are yet to upload a single polling agent while five parties have not uploaded a single agent for Ward, Local Government, and State collation centers. The deadline is tomorrow Tuesday 30th July 2024 when the portal automatically shuts down at midnight. I urge you to ensure that you meet the deadline so that the Commission can produce the accreditation tags and deliver them to you for distribution to your agents in good time,” he added.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, called for the scrapping of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC). He urged the National Assembly to transfer the responsibility of conducting local government elections to INEC.
The IPAC National Chairman criticized the local government elections conducted by SIECs, describing them as a mockery of democratic values and practices. “To further deepen democracy at the grassroots level, IPAC demands the immediate scrapping of the States Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs). The charade called elections they conduct is an aberration, dent, and mockery of our emerging democracy; a waste of taxpayers’ money that ought to have been channeled to developmental projects,” he said.
He argued that SIECs lack the necessary resources and infrastructure to conduct credible elections. “SIECs do not have voter registers, BVAS, IReV portals, ballot boxes, and trained personnel to conduct credible elections. The polls they pretend to conduct contribute to voters’ apathy and distrust in the electoral process,” he added.
Dantalle emphasized the need to restore confidence in the electoral system by empowering INEC to conduct all local government elections. “To restore confidence in the electoral system, INEC should be empowered to conduct all Local Government elections. Politics is local, citizens should be encouraged to actively participate in grassroots politics and contribute to building a better society,” he stated.
He also called for an amendment to the Constitution and the Electoral Act to give INEC the authority to conduct local government polls. “In this vein, IPAC calls for the amendment of the Constitution and the Electoral Act to empower INEC to conduct all Local Governments polls. Council rejects the proposed bill by the Senate to create the so-called Local Government Independent Electoral Commission, bearing in mind that it would be another SIEC in disguise. It is unacceptable, ill-conceived, another electoral jamboree that will impede the nation’s democracy and waste public funds at a time when citizens demand a smaller government to reduce the cost of governance,” he said.
Dantalle referenced the statement made by INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, during his address to the Senate and House of Representatives Joint Committee on Electoral Matters. “Addressing the Senate and House of Representatives Joint Committee on Electoral Matters last week, INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu said the commission had the capacity to conduct all Local Government elections as it did for FCT Area Councils generally adjudged to be free and fair and without rancor. IPAC supports this and urges the National Assembly to amend the relevant electoral laws to accommodate it,” he concluded.
