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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has frowned upon the invasion of its Head Office in Benin by stakeholders in the Edo governorship election.
Pulse reports that Governor Godwin Obaseki stormed the INEC premises in the early hours of Sunday, September 22, 2024, to protest some alleged irregularities in the collation of results for the election on Saturday.
No sooner did he arrive at the INEC office, which also doubles as the venue for the collation of results, than officials and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by its Deputy governorship candidate, Dennis Idahosa and its National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, stormed the premises to protest the Obaseki's presence.
It took the timely intervention of security agents to dowse the tension and walk Obaseki out of the INEC office around 4:45 am.
INEC condemns invasion of Benin office
Reacting to the development in a statement on Sunday, Mallam Mohammed Haruna, the National Commissioner and Member Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC condemned the invasion of the commission's office by political actors.
It also revealed that there was a disturbing threat to its office in the Ikpoba Oha local government area of the state on Saturday, which resulted in injuries to some officials.
"The Commission received a deeply disturbing report from our Resident Electoral Commissioner of a threat to our office in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area yesterday, resulting in a stampede in which one of our officials was injured.
“We are similarly disturbed by the overnight presence and demonstrations by some political actors and their supporters at our State Head Office ahead of the commencement of final collation. These actions are uncalled for. Nobody should disrupt the process at any stage and no one will be allowed to benefit from lawlessness,” the statement partly read.
The commission stressed that only accredited party agents, observers and the media should be granted unimpeded access to all collation centres.
It also urged security agencies to continue to maintain the same vigilance and professionalism that led to the peaceful conduct of the election as we conclude the process.