From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Former Edo State Commissioner of Agriculture and PDP chieftain Chris Agbonwannegbe has criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its handling of the recent general elections in Nigeria.
Speaking with reporters in Benin City, Agbonwannegbe stated that INEC remains a problematic institution in the country and a bane to Nigeria’s nascent democracy.
While acknowledging that the deployment of materials to voting centres was early enough, Agbonwannegbe noted that the conclusion through the length and breadth of the country, including Edo State, was not good because INEC allowed thugs to steal ballot boxes and papers at the collation points without having any solutions for the act.
“INEC remained a problematic institution in this country,” Agbonwannegbe said.
“You see, those collations are supposed to be manned with BVAS, but those who knew they were losing at every level had to try to destroy it so that you do not see it to compare, and INEC allowed it to happen.”
Agbonwannegbe also highlighted the low turnout of voters in the House of Assembly elections in Edo State, attributing it to the outcome of the February 25th elections, where people thought their votes would count but realised that the reverse was the case.
“So, they felt there was no reason going out to vote again hence their votes did not count,” he said.
He thanked the people of Edo State for supporting Governor Godwin Obaseki during the state assembly elections and urged the governor to get closer to the people, now that the power is with the people who saved him from the threat of impeachment.
