Chidi Odinkalu, former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), says the rest of the country will bear the consequences if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “messes” with the Edo governorship election.

In a post on his X handle on Saturday, Odinkalu said there is hardly anywhere one can go to in Nigeria without passing through Edo.

“If Mahmood Yakubu & @inecnigeria mess with #EdoDecides2024, all of #Nigeria will suffer it: there is hardly anywhere u can go to in Nigeria without passing through Edo,” he wrote.

On September 14, the ex-NHRC chair chastised Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC chair.

He was subsequently rebuked by Kamson Chidubem, convener of Civic Integrity Initiative (CII), for “biased criticisms and media abuses”.

On Friday, former President Goodluck Jonathan appealed to INEC and security agencies to remain neutral in the discharge of their responsibilities during the governorship election.

Jonathan said INEC and security agencies have a “moral burden” to act as “independent arbiters” during the poll.

Seventeen candidates are battling for the votes of 2.2 million electorates, in the race to succeed Godwin Obaseki, incumbent governor of Edo.