POLITICS EDO 2024: INEC DECLINES TO GIVE MRS ATIVIE VOTERS REGISTER

 

BY LEO EZEKIEL

Tuesday, August 20^th, 2024 at the Edo State headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is not just another day. It is a day of high drama as the Supervising National Chairman of the commission, Prof. Rhoda Gumus from Abuja also in charge of Edo, Delta and Cross River State decline to give the voters’ register to the state caretaker chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie adding that INEC is not involve in the internal wrangling’s in Labour Party. 

Speaking to the members of the fourth estate of the realm, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, declares that he will present the voters register to the other political parties chairmen present at the fora except for the representative of the Labour party, which has former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr Olumide Akpata as her governorship candidate in the September 21^st, 2024 election. The REC Dr. Onuoha avers that “The voters’” register will be given to representatives of all the political parties present at the media briefing of the tenth scheduled events out of thirteen events lined up by the commission before the election proper comes up on 21^st of September, 2024. 

In his words (We’ll) not give to the representative of Labour Party because of the leadership problems in the party at the state level. It an internal problem. We do not want to be involved. We will only give the register to the party’s candidate who is Barr. Olumide. As the media parley is rounding off Barr. Olumide accompanied by his running mate, Prince Asamah Kadiri, and hordes of party supporters, came to collect the voters’ register. 

Speaking further to the audience Prof. Gumus stated that the present registered voters is standing at 2,629,025 will decide the fate of the governorship candidates of the 20 political parties scheduled to participate in the forthcoming gubernatorial election as against 2,501,021 who voted in the 2023 general elections. 

The Hon. Commissioner of INEC in charge of Edo, Delta, Cross River State discloses to the audience that at the last voters registered exercise that two place between May and June, 2024 that Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area has the highest number of registered voters With 400,495, followed by Oredo with 357,371, while Igueben Local Government Area has the least with 52,000 voters. 

Speaking further the REC Dr. Onuoha informed the audience that security issues are not openly discussed in the public averring that adequate security preparations have been made by the INEC and Security Agencies in the States. Furthermore the governorship candidate of Labour Party Barr. Olumide states that he and his running mate Prince Kadiri have been having seamlessly campaign streaks with all members of Labour Party adducing that the internal issues of his party leadership are not what to be discussed publicly, but assuring that victory shall be theirs when this governorship election takes place on 21^st September, 2024. The Public Relation Officer of INEC Mr. Timidi Wanowei outstandingly moderated the event with heavy pedigree of good mien and candour