Edo Election: “We are not aware that money was distributed to the electorates" - INEC

Following allegations that political parties distributed money during the September 28 governorship election in Edo State, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has denied knowledge of it.



The allegation had it that political parties distributed money to the electorates in order to attract their votes, an act, which was said to have been captured on camera.


The election, which was won by the All Progressives Congress, APC’s Godwin Obaseki, was rejected by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, saying INEC rigged the election to favour the APC,  and that money was used to induce voters.

Also, four candidates who contested in the Edo governorship election had called for its cancellation, saying INEC falsified results to favor APC.

But responding to the claim, the INEC on Tuesday said it was not aware of it, and only got to know about the allegation through the media.

In an interview with the Punch, the Director of Voter Education and Publicity at the commission, Mr. Oluwole Ozasse-Uzi, said, “We are not aware that money was spent or distributed to the electorates during the election; we only heard about the allegation from the media.

“Our attention is yet to be called to the matter.

“In other words, we are not aware of this allegation,” Ozasse-Uzi said, stating that the commission was waiting for those who knew about the allegation to send petitions to it on the matter.

According to him, “We have not seen any petition on the matter. All what we heard had been on the pages of newspapers and so forth.

“We will appreciate that those who are making the allegations should send petitions to the commission on the matter,” the Director added.