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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