Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has warned politicians against violence during the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States.
Yakubu warned that INEC will not declare a winner if the election process is characterised by violence.
Speaking during a virtual workshop organised by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in partnership with the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) in Abuja, Yakubu disclosed that politicians in both states have been informed.
He said: “Where the election is disrupted and the commission cannot vouch for the integrity of the process, we will not go ahead to make any declaration.
“And this we have told the political parties point-blank; you either behave for the elections to be concluded in a free and fair manner or we do what the law says.”
INEC had scheduled the governorship elections to hold in Edo State on September 19, while Ondo State will be on October 20.