THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reconfirmed that the Edo and Ondo governorship elections fixed for later this year would hold as scheduled.
It said the reconfirmation became necessary following reports in a national daily that the commission will shift the date.
The newspaper had reported that the commission will shift the dates of the governorship elections due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Describing the report as incorrect and misleading, the electoral umpire noted that the elections fixed for September 19 and October 10 would hold.
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The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC National Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said that the decision to change the dates already announced for the elections was a serious matter, which only the commission could take.
He said: “Let me state here that the decision to change the dates already announced for the two elections is a very serious matter. Only the commission can take that decision and it has to be officially communicated via a press statement.
“However, it appears that what some editors are really looking for is for INEC to declare that it is postponing the Edo and Ondo governorship elections. But they cannot and should not put words in the commission’s mouth! There is nowhere in Okoye’s response where he expressly declared that the elections will be postponed.
“So casting the headline: ‘INEC to Shift Edo, Ondo Guber Polls’, is speculative and incorrect. It gives a totally wrong impression. A lot of people will believe the headline without reading the story”.
