The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has said that the Edo State Governorship Election will hold on Saturday as scheduled.
Announcing on its Twitter handle @inecnigeria after a crucial meeting on Thursday, the electoral umpire said the election will go ahead notwithstanding security warning.
“INEC will proceed with the Governorship election in Edo state on Saturday 10 September, 2016 as earlier scheduled,” the tweet stated.
It would be recalled that Department of State Services, DSS, the Nigeria Police yesterday asked INEC to postpone the election slated for Saturday, giving its reason following what it termed credible intelligence report.
The Police Force Spokesman, DCP Don Awunah, and Garba Abdullahi of DSS, in a joint statement stated thus, “While election is important, the security agencies cannot allow the peace of the country to be disrupted, and we will continue to remain vigilant and ensure consolidation of the successes gained in the current counter-insurgency fight.
“ It is in regard of these that we are appealing to INEC which has the legal duty to regulate elections in the country to consider the need for possible postponement of the date of the election in Edo State in order to enable security agencies deal decisively with the envisaged terrorist threats.
“While the Police/DSS remain mindful of the inconveniences this request may cause the various political stakeholders, it is our strong resolve that security agencies need not be distracted from ensuring a peaceful and secured Nigeria now and always.”
See INEC’s Statement Below:
