1.9 million voters set to vote in Edo governorship poll

The Resident Electoral Commissioner Edo State, Mr Sam Olumekun, has said that no fewer than 1.9 million registered voters were expected to participate in the governorship poll.

Olumekun said that Edo has 1,925,105 registered voters, adding that accreditation and voting would be done simultaneously during the election.

He attributed the decision to the paradigm shift in the evolving electoral system, saying “the polling procedure in this governorship election requires a prospective voter to cast his or her vote immediately after being accredited’’.

He added, “This procedure is less consuming and less wearisome for the voter.”

The REC expressed the commission’s readiness to conduct a free, fair and credible governorship election on Saturday, saying that INEC had complied with all electoral Acts on the election.

He, however, urged the people to stop seeing election as a do-or-die affair, but as a healthy process on a level-playing field.

Olumekun said that as was the case in the 2015 General Election, the commission would retain the use of permanent voter card and smart card reader for conduct of the election.

In his contribution, acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, assured the people of the state of adequate security, saying that the police had earlier deployed 25,000 personnel to complement those in Edo command.

Idris, who was represented by Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Joshak Habila, said that with the collaboration of other security agencies, effective policing logistics had been mobilized for adequate protection of voters, INEC staff and materials.

Candidates of the 19 political parties participating in the election attended the forum.

NAN