Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has emphasised its commitment to ensuring a smooth conduct of the upcoming off-cycle election in Edo State, scheduled for September 21, 2024. This announcement was made during a press briefing organized by INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC) in Abuja.
Mr. Sam Olumekun, INEC National Commissioner and IVEC Chairman, represented by the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mary Nkem, highlighted the essential role of the media in shaping democracy. He urged journalists to avoid disseminating fake news that could disrupt the peace and unity of the nation. “The media is not just a conveyer of information but also a vital player in the democratic process, particularly during elections,” he said.
Nkem stressed that the media’s work influences public perception, informs voter decisions, and upholds the integrity of the electoral process. She added that INEC recognises the critical role of the media, especially as preparations for the Edo and Ondo State off-cycle governorship elections reach an advanced stage.
INEC outlined several activities to ensure the success of the Edo election. These include finalising arrangements with land and maritime transport unions for logistics, completing the printing of triplicate copies of the voters’ register for all 4,519 polling units in Edo State, and configuring the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines for election day. Observer and accreditation tags are also being produced.
Olumekun announced that on September 10, 2024, the INEC Chairman will lead the management team to monitor a mock accreditation of voters in selected polling units in Edo State. This exercise aims to test the deployment of BVAS and the upload of scanned polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
He also mentioned that on September 11, 2024, in Benin City, INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu will chair a stakeholders’ meeting involving the Inspector General of Police and other relevant stakeholders. On September 12, 2024, the candidates will sign a peace accord under the supervision of the National Peace Committee, chaired by former head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, assured that INEC is committed to conducting the elections with the highest standards of integrity. He explained that the BVAS system can transmit results even in areas without network coverage, and results will be automatically uploaded to the INEC server once the network is restored.
During the interactive session, journalists raised concerns about the BVAS system and the process of filling out result sheets. They urged INEC to address these challenges to ensure free and fair elections.