<strong><em><u>Restrictions imposed by Coronavirus pandemic have raised concerns over Edo and Ondo states’ governorship elections as the Independent National Electoral Commission’s outstanding directives suggest it may not shift the September and October dates, reports ‘DARE ODUFOWOKAN, Assistant Editor</u></em></strong>

Contrary to the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), that the Edo and Ondo governorship elections slated to hold on September 19 and October 10 this year respectively, will not be altered against the background of the raging Coronavirus pandemic, there are indications that the commission and other stakeholders may eventually have no choice than to shift the dates earlier scheduled for the polls.

According to a release by the commission last February, the governorship elections has been fixed for September 19th in Edo State while the election will hold on October 10 in Ondo state. Similarly, the commission announced that primary elections and nomination of candidates by political parties in Edo state should hold between the 2nd and the 27th of June while the same exercise is slated for July 2nd to July 25 for Ondo.

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But checks by The Nation in the two states revealed that many of the stakeholders, including political parties and gubernatorial aspirants, are doubtful of the possibility of the dates fixed by INEC. According to Chief Oluwole Edema, a chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, the party is worried that the outbreak of COVID 19, as well as the lock down ordered in the state by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu may make it impossible for most political parties to conclude their primaries by the stipulated date.

Edema also confirmed that many of the political parties in the state are of the same opinion: “We are members of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) and I can tell you for free that many of the political parties in Ondo are worried about the possibility of meeting INEC’s deadlines. Any party that desires a rancor-free primary election will agree with me. And once the primary elections are not concluded by the scheduled dates, there will be a need for an extension,” he said.

Concerns like the above are mounting as a result of the pandemic which has already seen about 200 cases spread in Lagos, Abuja, Ogun, Bauchi, Enugu, Benue, Rivers, Oyo, Edo, Ekiti, Osun, Akwa Ibom and Kaduna, according to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). While Edo State now has 4 confirmed cases of COVID 19, Ondo is yet to record a case. But Governor Akeredolu has already ordered a lock down of the state as a preventive measure, bringing most, if not all political activities, to a halt.

Already, the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) has postponed indefinitely the local government elections billed for April 18, 2020, in the 18 council areas of the state due to ravaging Coronavirus. Yomi Dinakin, Chairman of the Commission, disclosed this in Akure, Ondo state capital, while speaking with journalists, saying that the 10 political parties had agreed to the postponement because they could not hold any campaign rallies.

According to him, political parties argued that they complied with the directives of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu ban on political rallies and gatherings. On a new date for the election, Dinakin said the Commission would monitor state government activities and announcements. Dinakin expressed optimism that the federal government would also postpone the implementation of its policy that all local councils in the country must have elected officials by May this year.