The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended voting in the ongoing governorship election in Edo State in areas where the process commenced late, Mohammed Haruna, INEC’s National Commissioner and member of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee said in a statement this afternoon (today, September 21).
Voting officially commenced in the Edo governorship election at about 8:30 am with polling units expected to stop accepting votes from 2:30 pm.
However, some polling units experienced delay in the commencement of the exercise.
A statement by Haruna confirmed that INEC’s monitoring had indicated that although polling commenced early at many polling units, there were also reports of late commencement in some locations.
According to INEC, the extension is to ensure that no voter is disenfranchised.
The Commission also stated that voting will be extended wherever it commenced late and will continue until the last voter in the queue who arrived at the Polling Unit by 2.30pm has voted.
“The Commission continues to monitor the ongoing governorship election in Edo State from our situation room at the National Headquarters in Abuja. Our monitoring indicates early commencement of polls in many Polling Units, but there are also reports of late commencement in some locations.
“To ensure that no voter is disenfranchised, the Commission wishes to reiterate that, in line with our Regulations and Guidelines, voting will be extended wherever it commenced late and will continue until the last voter on the queue who arrived at the Polling Unit by 2.30pm has voted.
“Accordingly, we have drawn the attention of our office in Edo State to ensure that, where necessary, there is adequate power supply from our back-up electric generators in the affected Polling Units or Ward Collation Centres,” the statement surmised.
Courtesy TNG
