At a security meeting held in Benin, the Edo State capital on
Thursday evening, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
officially postponed the Edo State governorship election which was
initially scheduled for Saturday, by two weeks.
As expected, this latest development will definitely affect many
residents of the state in terms of money lost in cancellation of
engagements and social events.
The innocent has been affected, monies have been lost, here
According to TheCable News, below are five things INEC postponement has affected:
1. WEDDINGS
Prior to the 2015 elections, many potential couples had looked
forward to make history by tying their nuptial knot on Valentine’s day,
until the general election was fixed for February 14. They had to shift
their dream dates.
In Edo state, some potential couples had fixed their day for
September 10, but had to shift the date for the poll. With the poll
slated for September 28, the powers that be have succeeded in wasting
September 10 – for nothing!
Invitations wasted, money down the drain.
2. THE HOTEL TEARS
Hotels in Edo state must have experienced a surge in sales over the
week, as INEC officials, observers, and journalists were trooping in
for the elections.
Many of these “conditional immigrants” may have paid for four or
five nights at these hotels, depending on their plans for the poll.
The hotels in turn, must have received big bucks and be easing out
of the nation’s recession – INEC just halted that honeymoon. The hotels
have to refund? They must hate INEC now.
But the money has only been postponed – not totally taken away. That should be a silver lining, no?
3. NYSC SPECIAL ‘ALLAWEE’ POSTPONED
Over a thousand corps members participating in the election were
patiently waiting for the Saturday election and the financial proceed,
which they regard as “allawee before allawee”.
Considering the situation of the economy, many of these corps
members, would have planned how to spend after the election. But with
the postponement, this allowance has also been postponed.
Cheer up Otondos, it is allawee delayed, not allawee denied.
4. TAX PAYERS’ MILLIONS DOWN THE DRAIN
In a statement announcing the postponement, INEC said it had deployed 18,000 electoral staff for the election.
Some of them came from outside state; spent money on transport, hotels, feeding, and other logistics.
They may have to return to their states of residence, after spending millions of tax payers’ money on the postponed poll.
In a recession, tax payers’ money is being wasted! This is more than just a postponement.
5. PETTY TRADERS AND PERISHABLES
In times of elections like these, petty traders make a fortune by
meeting the needs of many observers, journalists, and other electoral
personnel who must have converged on their states.
In Benin, we can imagine many traders who would have invested in
perishables to be sold at election venues and collation centres.
Restaurants, who must have bought vegetables in excess; fruit
sellers who must have filled their shops; others who must have made
flour dough for pastries. What becomes of their goods?
It hurts to know that these goods may waste and they may never get commensurate value for the perishable items.
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