Fatshimetrie: Floods disrupt electoral preparations in Edo
The recent bad weather that hit Edo State in Nigeria has caused considerable damage to INEC infrastructure. A section of the building was severely damaged, causing the destruction of voter registration machines and other essential equipment.
According to Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Edo State was completely flooded following heavy rainfall last Friday. Initial assessments show that the damage is significant, with movable property and vehicles also affected.
Among the losses suffered are voter registration machines already configured for the upcoming Continuous Electoral Census (CVR) in the state. To compensate for this shortage, INEC plans to transfer additional machines from neighboring states.
Despite this emergency situation, INEC affirms its determination to start the CVR as planned on Monday, May 27 in the 192 Wards of Edo. However, the state headquarters will not be able to serve as a registration center as initially planned. The operation will now take place at our offices in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area, located at 16, Customs Road, Benin City.
These floods have certainly caused significant disruptions, but cannot undermine INEC’s desire to successfully complete the ongoing electoral process in Edo State. Rather, adversity serves as a reminder of the importance of resilience and adaptability to ensure the integrity of future elections.
Fatshimetrie will closely monitor developments and provide detailed coverage of INEC’s efforts to overcome these unforeseen obstacles and ensure the smooth running of the electoral process in Edo.