We don’t have preferred candidate for Edo gov’ship – INEC

Ahead of the September 21, governorship election in Edo State, INEC has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguard the decision of the electorate.

INEC’s Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, said that the responsibility of choosing the next governor lay solely in the hands of Edo voters.

Yakubu also disclosed that the funds required to conduct the election had been disbursed at both the state and local government levels.

During a visit to Benin Tuesday to assess the state’s preparedness and to observe a mock accreditation exercise for the election, Yakubu assured the public of a free, fair and credible election.

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He said, “INEC is not a political party and, therefore, does not have a candidate in this election.”

He further said that the commission had visited three local government areas to evaluate their readiness, including the receipt of materials and their organisation for the election.

He added that backup machines had been prepared for any technical issues during the election, saying that the machines used for the mock accreditation in 12 polling units across the three senatorial districts would not be used for the main election.