Regarding preparations for Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs), Oyekanmi assured that INEC is committed to facilitating their participation.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured that the current increase in petrol prices will not impact the Edo governorship election.
Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, made this statement during a pre-election news conference in Abuja.
He explained that the commission has been actively discussing the situation with officials from the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
“The commission has held discussions with NURTW officials in recent days to address this issue, and I believe a resolution has been reached,” Oyekanmi said.
He emphasised that election planning includes contingency measures for unexpected developments.
“When planning for elections, we account for potential changes and challenges. We don’t expect transporters to operate at a loss. If fuel prices have risen and transport costs need adjustment, this can be negotiated,” he added.
Oyekanmi, who was not present at the meeting, expressed confidence that an agreement had been made and assured that the election would proceed without issues.
Regarding preparations for Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs), Oyekanmi assured that INEC is committed to facilitating their participation.
While polling stations, mostly located in public facilities like schools, may not be specifically designed for PWDs, electoral officers are trained to assist them.
“Our Presiding Officers are instructed to prioritise PWDs and elderly voters, ensuring they are given necessary assistance and allowed to bypass queues,” he said.
Oyekanmi also addressed concerns about result sheet tampering, stating that INEC has implemented measures to prevent such incidents.
“We have taken significant steps to ensure that prefilled result sheets, like those seen in Kogi, do not reoccur.
“Our result sheets are custom-made with security features that are not publicly known, making forgery impossible,” he explained.
The commission’s resource management processes are also designed to deter and address any irregularities.
He further reassured that results will only be collated from polling units where elections are held.
“It is not possible to collate results from a polling unit where an election did not occur, as such instances must be reported,” Oyekanmi said.
With over 4,500 polling units in Edo, he confirmed that all will be used and no unit will be without voters.
“If an election does not take place for any reason, the presiding officer is responsible for reporting it,” he concluded.
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