Benin, May 31, 2024- The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to replace the damaged facilities in its Edo office before the upcoming governorship election on September 21. The announcement was made by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, during an inspection of the flood-damaged facilities in Benin on Thursday.
The flood, caused by torrential rains on May 24, destroyed several voter enrollment machines that had been configured for the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise. Despite the damage, Prof. Yakubu assured that the incident would not hinder the smooth conduct of the governorship election.
“We are here to see what happened to our facilities after the flooding that occurred on Friday, May 24,” Yakubu said. He was accompanied by the Director of ICT and the Federal Controller of Works to assess the damage and find solutions to prevent future flooding around the INEC office.
Yakubu emphasized the importance of providing working equipment and a conducive work environment, noting that these are as crucial as paying salaries. He assured that the damaged facilities would be fixed promptly.
He also expressed relief that no lives were lost due to the flood. “This is not a regular visit. We are here to see the extent of the damage and to ensure that the necessary repairs are made before the election,” he said.
The INEC Chairman stated that the CVR exercise would continue despite the flood damage. He described the turnout of registrants as impressive and stressed that the damaged facilities pose no threat to the ongoing registration and the upcoming election. INEC has called for additional resources from neighboring states to support the CVR exercise, demonstrating the Commission’s proactive measures.
“The present Commission has enough experience in conducting governorship elections. This is the third governorship election we will be conducting in Edo since 2016,” Yakubu noted, highlighting INEC’s preparedness and experience.
The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, thanked Prof. Yakubu for his swift and proactive response to the disaster. The Commission’s prompt action and reassurances aim to maintain public confidence in the electoral process.
