The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is taking measures to ensure that the recent hike in petrol price does not affect logistics for the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.

Mr. Rotimi Lawrence Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said this on Friday in Abuja at a pre-election (Edo) briefing.

Daily Trust reports that INEC depends on the commercial transport unions, the security agencies and its vehicles for logistics to move sensitive and non-sensitive materials as well as electoral personnel for the conduct of elections.

Our correspondent also reports that the latest hike in the price of petrol has pushed up transport fares by over 50 per cent in major cities across Nigeria.

The newest price hikes, implemented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company’s (NNPCL) Retail Management, range from N855 to N897 per litre, depending on the location, from the previous N568-N617; while independent marketers have adjusted their prices to between N930 and N1,300 per litre.

“I am aware that the commission in the last couple of days met with the officials of road transport unions (National Union of Road Transport Workers and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria) to discuss this matter.

“And I am aware that a resolution was reached. Of course, when you are planning for elections, you have what is called contingency. Because you don’t know what can happen. There could be changes and all of that. So we don’t expect transporters to operate at a loss,” Oyekanmi said.

He said that if prices of fuel had gone up and they (transporters) wanted some increments, the commission would have to reach an agreement and since INEC has a mandate to conduct the election, there would not be a problem.

Speaking earlier, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Sam Olumekun, warned against the spread of fake news and misinformation during the electoral process.

Olumekun, who was represented by the Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs Mary Nkem, noted the critical role the media plays in ensuring the integrity of the upcoming election.

He cautioned that the spread of false information, particularly in the digital age, could lead to public unrest and erode trust in the election results.

“In this digital age, we are acutely aware of the dangers posed by fake and misleading news, especially during an election period. Such information has the potential to disrupt the electoral process, undermine public confidence and incite unnecessary tensions,” he said.

He also said that INEC was committed to maintaining transparency and providing timely updates to counter such.

He assured that the public could rely on the commission for accurate information and that various channels had been made available for voters and the media to verify any election-related news directly with INEC.

“The commission has taken proactive steps to combat this menace, part of which is to be open and transparent in all its dealings. We have made it a culture to constantly update the public through you after every commission’s meeting when decisions are taken.

“We will intensify the information flow as we move closer to the Edo governorship election. Measures have been put in place to minimise circulation of false information,” he said. (Daily Trust)

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