The Benin office of the Independent National Electoral Commission has announced a change in venue for the upcoming Continuous Voter Registration in Edo State following severe flooding at its State Headquarters in Benin City.
The flooding, caused by torrential rain on Friday damaged the building and its contents.
The National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, disclosed this in a press release on Saturday.
Olumekun said the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Edo State, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, reported that both movable and immovable items, including parked vehicles, office furniture, and equipment, were submerged.
Among the affected items were several voter enrollment machines configured for the CVR.
“Our Resident Electoral Commissioner for Edo State, Dr Anugbum Onuoha, has reported that our State Headquarters in Benin City was completely flooded following a torrential rainfall yesterday Friday, May 24, 2024.
“Preliminary assessment shows that the heavy downpour damaged a section of the building. Movable and immovable items were submerged, including vehicles parked at the premises as well as office furniture and equipment.
“Some of the voter enrollment machines already configured for the forthcoming Continuous Voter Registration are affected,” the statement read in part.
The Edo State governorship election will be held on September 21, 2024.
INEC had unveiled plans to commence the CVR from May 27 to June 5, 2024, ahead of the governorship poll.
Olumekun said the INEC would dispatch additional machines from neighbouring states.
“The Commission is delivering additional machines from the neighbouring states to make up for the shortfall.
“We are determined to ensure that the CVR in all the 192 Wards across Edo State will proceed on Monday, 27th November 2024, as scheduled,” he said.
Due to the flooding, the State Headquarters will no longer serve as a registration centre, Olumekun added.
However, in view of the emergency, the State Headquarters will not serve as a registration centre as planned.
“Instead, the exercise will now take place in our Ikpoba Okha LGA office located at 16 Customs Road, off Benin/Auchi Road, Benin City,” the National Commissioner noted.
INEC has alerted security agencies and emergency services to the situation and is taking steps to mitigate further disruptions.
He said, “Meanwhile, the attention of the security agencies and emergency services have been drawn to the incident,”
