Ayobamiji Komolafe 
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the collation of results for the 2024 Edo State governorship election.
This follows the conclusion of voting on Saturday, September 21, and the activation of the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, where polling unit results were uploaded in real-time.
In a press statement released on Sunday, Mohammed Haruna, National Commissioner and member of the Information and Voter Education Committee, confirmed that the collation of results has been completed at the Ward level across the state’s 192 wards.
Local Government collation has also been concluded in most areas, with designated officials arriving or en route to the state collation centre in Benin City, where the final stage of state-level collation is set to commence.
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However, INEC raised concerns over a disturbing incident reported by its Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Okpoba Okha Local Government Area.
The report signals a security breach at INEC’s office in the area, which led to a stampede and injury to one of the commission’s officials.
The situation occurred amidst threats made against the office during the voting process.
Additionally, INEC condemned the presence of political actors and their supporters staging demonstrations overnight at the State Head Office ahead of the final collation.
The Commission stressed that such actions are unnecessary and warned against any attempts to disrupt the process.
INEC reiterated its commitment to ensuring a transparent collation process in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and the commission’s regulations and guidelines.
The statement assured the public that any issues arising during the collation, including results declared under duress, would be addressed through the appropriate legal channels.
INEC noted that it possesses the authority to review any results compromised by unlawful actions and will exercise this power if necessary.
The commission also emphasized that accredited party agents, observers, and members of the media should have unhindered access to all collation centres to ensure transparency.
INEC urged security agencies to maintain their vigilance and professionalism as the collation process reaches its final stage.
INEC’s also affirmed the commission’s dedication to a peaceful and credible election outcome while calling for calm among political actors and their supporters as the results collation continues.
