INEC Chairman, Yakub Mahmood

Jethro Ibileke/Benin

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared its readiness to conduct the gubernatorial election in Edo state, scheduled for this weekend.

A Special adviser to the Commission’s Chairman, Prof. Mohammad Kuna, stated this on Monday in Benin, the State capital, at a stakeholders meeting on public presentation of the security threat assessment for the election, organised by CLEEN foundation in Benin city.

Kuna said the Commission has been well equipped in terms of human and capital resources to carry out the exercise, urging that all stakeholders must be up and doing to ensure a violent free polls.

“It is however important that the people must own the process of electoral system. It has been observed that whatever the modalities INEC has put on ground to conduct a credible poll,the people must ensure that they behave in a civil manner to help democracy grow in the country,” he said.

In his presentation, Prof. Mim Abutudu, of the University of Benin, noted that rigging and fear of electoral manipulation can be a high risk factor that could raise the level of violence and urged INEC to ensure that materials are deployed on time to the various polling units.

Earlier in his speech, Executive Director, CLEEN Foundation, Mr Benson Olugbuo, explained that the Foundation has as one of its cardinal objectives to monitor and report the level of security threat to the conduct of elections in Nigeria.

All stakeholders were in agreement that activities of security agencies including officials of INEC, must be checked to ensure that the process is violence free, credible and fair to all.