By Eben Enasco
Following the massive flood that damaged a section of its Edo State headquarters in Benin City, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has assured the public of its commitment to swiftly replace the critical equipment destroyed.
This assurance was given by INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, during an assessment tour of the flood-ravaged office on Thursday.
The flood, which occurred last Friday, destroyed critical voter enrollment machines already configured for the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, which was scheduled to commence on Monday, May 27, 2024.
Despite the setback, INEC has vowed to press on with the electoral process, with Professor Yakubu affirming the commission’s readiness to conduct a credible poll in the forthcoming September 2024 gubernatorial election in the state.
When asked to quantify the level of damage, Professor Yakubu noted that it was a challenging task, but the commission would assess its needs and respond appropriately.
During his tour of various CVR centers in the state, the INEC Chairman commended the progress of the exercise and charged the officials to ensure a credible outcome.
Earlier, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner REC, INEC, Anugbum Onuoha, reiterated the commission’s commitment to delivering its electoral mandate despite the flood hazards, emphasizing that failure was not an option.
Despite the damage caused by the flood, INEC has decided not to halt the CVR process, which has recorded a significant turnout of voters.
