As the September 21 governorship election in Edo State draws near, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that a total of 2,629,025 voters are eligible to participate in the polls.
This announcement was made by INEC’s Supervising National Commissioner for Edo, Delta, and Cross River states, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, during the presentation of voter registers to the chairmen and representatives of the 16 participating political parties at the commission’s office in Benin.
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Gumus emphasized the importance of peaceful elections, stating that “election should not be a do-or-die affair” and encouraging politicians and their supporters to eschew violence.
She assured stakeholders that INEC is fully prepared for the governorship election and is committed to ensuring a seamless process.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Edo, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, provided further details on the voter registration process, revealing that 2,501,081 voters were registered in the state for the 2023 general elections, while an additional 173,048 persons registered during the Continuous Voter Registration exercise from May 27 to June 9, 2024.
After verifying the registrations, 119,206 registrants were confirmed, bringing the total number of eligible voters to 2,629,025.
Onuoha also announced that eligible voters can collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) at their ward registration centers between August 22 and 26, and subsequently at the local government office of INEC between August 28 and September 8. He reminded political parties that campaigns will cease on September 19, ahead of the governorship election on September 21.
The Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council in the state, Greg Igbinomwanhia, commended INEC for its efforts in ensuring a smooth electoral process and urged political leaders and members to promote peace and avoid violence, ensuring a rancor-free election.
