Ahead of the Edo State governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission has announced that the signing of the peace accord will be held on September 12, 2024, in Benin City.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who announced this during a meeting with political parties held in Abuja on Thursday, provided crucial updates on preparations for the election.
The agency also said Mock Accreditation exercise will take place on September 10 to test BVAS deployment and result uploads. The signing of the peace accord organised in collaboration with the National Peace Committee aims to ensure a peaceful and credible electoral process.
“After consultation with the National Peace Committee under the leadership of our respected former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar GCFR, the signing of the Peace Accord for the Edo State governorship election will take place on Thursday, September 12, 2024, in Benin City. Supported by eminent members of the Peace Committee, the occasion will be presided over by the Chairman, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
“You may notice that unlike the previous peace accords signed a few days before the election, it was decided to do so early this time around to enable the Peace Committee to monitor compliance with the code voluntarily signed by parties, candidates and other critical players in the electoral process such as INEC and the security agencies during the remaining days to the election.
“This will add further weight to the peace accord beyond mere ceremony as demanded by many observers and even some of the political actors themselves,” Yakubu stated.
With just 22 days remaining until the election on September 21, 2024, Yakubu outlined that INEC has successfully completed 10 out of 13 planned activities.
“It is exactly 22 days (3 weeks and 1 day) to the Edo State Governorship election. Campaigns are in full swing and we have already implemented 10 out of the 13 activities listed in our Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election. The most recent activity was the presentation to political parties of the final register of voters containing details of the 2,629,025 registered voters for the election. This was done on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, in our State office in Benin City.
“We are now left with three outstanding activities, namely the publication of Notice of Poll scheduled for Saturday, September 7, 2024, the last day of the campaign by political parties which is Thursday, September 19, 2024, and, finally, the election day which is Saturday, September 21, 2024,” the chairman said.
