The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has it would not shift the Edo State gubernatorial election on the strength of threats of violence by political parties and their candidates.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye made this known on Saturday, stressing that even though the Commission is disturbed by the situation in the State, it is not considering postponing the polls.
According to him, INEC has sufficiently warned candidates and parties participating in the election that it will not take kindly any attempts to compromise the electoral process by inviting violence.
“INEC has warned that it will halt the process if the parties result to violence. We have met over the matter and warned that we will not allow any act of violence. But that does not mean that we are shifting the poll,” he said.
Meanwhile, INEC National Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu had said that the Commission would invite not just the candidates and their parties, but the Campaign Councils to discuss ongoing situation in the State.
“We are carefully monitoring what is happening in Edo State and also in Ondo. The Commission will be meeting tomorrow and given the urgency of the situation in Edo State, we may have to immediately call a meeting of not just the candidates and the political parties but also the Campaign Councils, but whatever we have to do to stem the ugly report of violence so far or threat of it,” he said.