INEC Chairman, Yakubu Cites Security as Top Concern for Edo Poll

INEC Chairman, Yakubu Cites Security as Top Concern for Edo Poll

By Edem Christiana

Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has expressed concerns about security during his appearance before the joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters. He stated that INEC has raised alarms regarding the safety of the upcoming governorship election in Edo State, scheduled for September 21.

According to Yakubu, INEC’s primary concern for the Edo governorship election is security. He revealed that during a visit to Edo, a political party expressed concerns about the potential deployment of the Edo State Security Network (ESSN). In response, INEC promptly met with the Commissioner of Police and convened a meeting with all security agencies in Edo to address the issue.

Furthermore, the Chairman stated that the commission has scheduled a meeting with all political parties to address their concerns. The Commissioner of Police assured the commission and party leaders that he would escalate the matter to the state government.

At the time, the issue was related to the ongoing continuous voter registration; since then, the Chairman has not received any official complaints from parties or candidates regarding the Edo State Security Network’s (ESSN) role. He believes the Commissioner of Police has likely engaged with the ESSN leadership on this matter.

Regarding preparations for the governorship election, the Chairman reported that continuous voter registration has been conducted, although some registered voters still require validation.