The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has expressed concerns over the safety of lives and property in the lead-up to the off-cycle governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states.
He made the remarks during a quarterly consultative meeting with media executives on Wednesday.
Yakubu highlighted the recent security incident in Edo State, which resulted in the death of a police inspector as a particularly troubling event.
He said despite no further reports of security breaches since then, the Commission remains vigilant and plans to address these concerns in an upcoming meeting with security agencies.
“We are deeply concerned about the safety of everyone involved in the electoral process, including our officials, observers, service providers, and voters.
“We will meet with the security agencies on Friday under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to discuss these issues comprehensively,” Yakubu stated.
The INEC Chairman assured that the security of accredited journalists is also a priority.
“The Commission is committed to ensuring that media personnel have unimpeded access to voting and collation centres. We will collaborate with security agencies to facilitate smooth operations for journalists,” he added.
Yakubu also reminded media organizations that the portal for media accreditation is still open. As of the meeting, 24 media organizations had uploaded details for 227 personnel.
He urged all interested media outlets to complete their applications before the September 5, 2024, deadline to ensure the timely processing of accreditation tags.
The INEC Chairman emphasized the role of the media in reporting accurately and ethically about the elections.
“You are crucial in combating fake news, misinformation, and disinformation. Please adhere to the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage and INEC guidelines,” Yakubu said.
Regarding upcoming bye-elections, Yakubu noted that two additional vacancies have been declared since the Commission’s last meeting.
He said the Commission will soon announce dates for the elections, following the recent vacancies in the Ibadan North Federal Constituency of Oyo State and Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency of Kaduna State.
INEC had earlier announced that it will publish the final figures for new voters in Edo and Ondo states, including detailed distribution by gender, age, occupation, and disability, later this week.
This comes as preparations for the governorship elections in both states move into high gear.
The governorship election in Edo State is scheduled for September 21, 2024, while the Ondo State election is set for November 16, 2024.
