INEC won’t shift election for WASSCE – Yakubu

​The Independent National Electoral Commission has said

that it will not postpone Saturday’s governorship election

in Edo State for the West African Senior School Certificate

Examination scheduled to hold on the same day.

The National Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu,

disclosed this during a stakeholders’ meeting held in

Benin, the state capital, on Wednesday.

A total of 1,742 candidates are expected to sit Mathematics

1 and 2 papers on September 10, the same date of the

governorship poll.

This development led to a protest by some of the affected

candidates and parents on Monday.

There had also been calls for the postponement of the poll

in order to allow the candidates exercise their right to

vote.

But the national chairman, who spoke through the Edo

State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Sam Olumekun,

said that the electoral umpire had given adequate

notification of the election date, prior to the date fixed for

the examination by WAEC.

He explained, “On the issue of the WAEC examination, as

my chairman would say, ‘INEC is the weeping boy’. Even

when you see people that are doing things that are wrong,

you would revert to INEC.

“It is important to draw your attention to the fact that

INEC gave notice of this election on March 2, 2016. There

was no registration for the WAEC examination by

candidates as of that time. I stand to be corrected.”

The INEC boss noted that the commission had held a

discussion with the examination body and security

agencies on the issue, where it was agreed that the

examination should be moved to Ondo and Delta states, as

holding it simultaneously with the poll may create security

challenges.

Yakubu said, “The issue is, basically, security. So, the

security agencies advised WAEC accordingly that giving

room for people to move around may pose some

challenges because criminals could cash in on the

situation.

“Permit me to remind you also that there are about 1.9m

registered voters in Edo State, whose interest also should

be taken care of. At the end of that meeting, we agreed

that the exam be shifted outside Edo State to places that

are nearby.

“Indeed, WAEC had even concluded arrangements to do

this. It suggested Ore, Agbor and, I think, one other place.

Yes, there could be some inconvenience for the candidates

to travel outside Edo State. But, of course, it is not too

much pain to bear, if you have the interest of your state at

heart.

“I do not think we need to suspend an election because

WAEC is going to conduct the General Certificate

Examinations. It is not SSCE but GCE for those who did not

do well in the past exams,” the INEC chairman added.”

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