The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says a total of 2,629,025 voters are expected to participate in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.
INEC’s Supervising National Commissioner for Edo, Delta and Cross River states, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, made this known at the commission’s office in Benin, where she presented voter registers for the election to the chairmen and representatives of the 16 participating political parties.
The presentation of the registers is in keeping to the provision of the Electoral Act, 2022, which mandates INEC to present the voter registers not later than 30 days before the election.
Gumus who said INEC was ready for the election, advised political parties not to make it do-or-die, even as she sought their cooperation to make the activities before, during and after the election seamless.
“I am giving an assurance that with the support of the security agencies, the election will be peaceful, free and fair,” she added.
The INEC national commissioner also urged Edo residents to come out and participate in the process.
Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Edo, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, said 2,501,081 voters were registered in the state for the 2023 general elections, while 173,048 persons were registered during the Continuous Voter Registration from May 27 to June 9, 2024, with 119,206 registrants, including persons who transferred their PVCs, were valid, thereby bringing the total to 2,501,081 eligible voters.
Onuoha urged eligible voters yet to collect their PVC to do so at their ward registration centres between August 22 and 26, from 9 am to 5 pm daily, including the weekend, while the collection would be moved to the local government office of INEC between August 28 and September 8.
