The Nigerian electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has confirmed its readiness to ensure a free, fair, and credible governorship election in Edo State on September 21.
Sam Olumekun, the INEC Commissioner for Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), stated this during a media briefing in Benin, underscoring the commission’s dedication to a transparent and impartial electoral process.
“INEC is committed to conducting free, fair, and credible governorship election in Edo State and we rely on your (journalists’) partnership to achieve this goal,” he said.
Olumekun, speaking on behalf of INEC Chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu through his Chief Press Secretary Rotimi Oyekanmi, underscored the importance of the Electoral Act’s recent reforms in bolstering election integrity across Nigeria.
He stressed the media’s vital function in ensuring accountability and openness among all electoral stakeholders, INEC included.
Journalists were advised by Olumekun to acquaint themselves thoroughly with election laws, enabling them to provide well-informed coverage and effectively educate the public about electoral procedures.
Olumekun went further to caution media professionals against disseminating content that might provoke violence, propagate hate speech, or spread misinformation, while reminding eligible voters in Edo State to personally collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) at the 192 ward locations, emphasizing that proxy collection is strictly prohibited.
