Many Groups Kick Against New Election Date in Edo - Demand the election date be shifted backwards

Many Groups Kick Against New Election Date in Edo - Demand the election date be shifted backwards. Groups inside and outside Benin, of note Eligible Voters Vanguard, Edo Patriots Coalition and Centre for Patriotic Leadership Initiative (CPLI), have criticised the Independent National Electoral commission for rescheduling the Edo state governorship election to a date which they all agree appears unrealistic and a calculated attempt by INEC, security agencies and others to disenfranchise bonafide Edo voters.

While addressing newsmen in Benin City, Eligible Voters Vanguard, said the original date of the 10th of September would have been most ideal for the election but for security issues.

Eligible Voters Vanguard led by Mr Ojeaga Kenneth, said the rescheduled date of September 28th 2016 which according to them is a working day has been designed to disenfranchise eligible voters who may be living and working outside but registered in Edo state.

Centre for Patriotic Leadership Initiative, an incorporated organisation led by Saintmoses Eromosele, called on both major parties, PDP and APC, to ‘work it out with INEC for an adjustment of the rescheduled date especially because the Benin Royal family have kindly adjusted the date for the coronation.

Meanwhile, the Edo Patriots Coalition, led by Friday Ojealaro, has written a petition to INEC asking for a shift of the election date from the weekday it was fixed to Saturday 24th of September 2016 because that date is free as well as it is the tradition to conduct general election on weekends, not weekday.

The groups collectively called on INEC to consider another and better date that would accommodate majority of the voters.
The spokes person of Eligible Voters Vanguard, Ojeaga Kenneth, says the group has proposed either the 17th or the 24th of September 2016 as a possible date for the election with a view to accommodating eligible voters.