Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is committed to concluding the suspended elections in Rivers, Imo, Kogi and Kano states which were disrupted by violence not later than 31, 2016.
This is provided that all necessary consultations and activities leading to the elections were concluded in good time and that conditions were conducive enough for the conduct of the elections.
In a statement issued by the Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, the Commission reiterated that despite this commitment, it would not return to conduct elections or hesitate to further postpone or discontinue the suspended elections in any area where there was imminent threat to lives or to peace or security, “especially where such threats were likely to lead to breakdown of law and order.”
The Commission, which issued a road map for the resolution of the crisis and violence which led to the suspension of the elections in the affected areas, said it would fix the dates for the elections following consultations with political parties and candidates.
In a related development, the Commission has scheduled the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise for Edo and Ondo states to begin from Wednesday, June 22, to Sunday, June 26, 2016.
According to the Commission’s Decision Extract signed by the Director, Commission’s Secretariat, Ishaku A. Gali, the Commission has also scheduled Monday, 27thJune 2016 as the conclusion of Claims and Objectives.
The CVR exercise is to precede the two governorship elections for Edo and Ondo, scheduled for Saturday, September 10, and Saturday, November 26, 2016, respectively.
Section 30(1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) provides that the Commission shall give the notice of a governorship election not later than 90 days before the election.
— Okorochukwu Ikechukwu ( Correspondent)
