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INEC Insists On Holding Edo Guber Elections On Sept 10

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Nigeria’s election umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has decided to go ahead with the Edo governorship elections slated for Saturday, September 9, 2016, an inside source says.

On Wednesday, the Nigerian police and the country’s secret police, the Department of State Security Service, the DSS called for the postponement of poll, in the midst of heightened tension in the southern state ahead of the elections.

The security agencies cited ‘security concerns” in their call, delivered via a brief press briefing in Abuja.

“INEC will soon release a statement to formally confirm that the election will hold on Saturday as scheduled,” a  source told our reporter.

Stakeholders involved in the elections had been in an emergency meeting with INEC and security agencies since Wednesday.

Mahmoud Yakubu, the chairperson of INEC told members of the press the meeting in Benin, the Edo State capital, that an official statement would be made on Thursday, September 8, 2016.

“I said when we met earlier today (Wednesday) that out of the 14 activities outlined for the conduct of the Edo election, based on the calendar and schedule of activities, we successfully concluded 12 of the activities.

“Only two are outstanding – end of campaign, which is scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday), and then, the election, scheduled for Saturday. As far as the commission is concerned, we have taken every step necessary for the success of Edo election on September 10.

“But towards the end of the meeting, the news broke that the security agencies are advising the commission to consider postponing the election because of the credible evidence of threat available to the security agencies.

“The commission will return and take a decision and this will be communicated. We have consulted with you just as we need to consult with the security agencies to find out more and then, take a decision thereafter.

“Whatever the case, the commission will take a decision swiftly and communicate it to the Nigerian public,” Yakubu said.

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