Ahead of the August 20 by-election in Oorelope Local Government Area of Oyo State, the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, alongside some zonal commissioners, will be in the state next week.
Administrative Secretary, INEC, Oyo State, Mr Ebenezer Fakorede, made this known at a stakeholders’ meeting on the upcoming election, held at the commission’s office in Ibadan, on Wednesday.
Fakorede said that the two-day visit of INEC chairman to the state was partly with regards to the upcoming by-election and other issues concerning the commission.
Addressing notions that the Mahmood-led commission was renowned for inconclusive elections, Fakorede urged political actors to shun violence and disruption of polls at the polling units.
According to him, 10 political parties had so far obtained nomination forms to participate in the exercise which will involve 330 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to serve as Presiding Officers and Assistant Presiding Officers across 84 voting points.
Furthermore, he intimated of a modification in the voting procedure whereby ballot paper will be issued to every registered voter with Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC), for actual voting, immediately after accreditation.
Fakorede added that the distribution of PVCs not collected before the last general election was ongoing in all INEC local government area offices, but would be halted on August 17 in Oorelope Local Government Area.