SEVENTEEN political parties are expected to participate in the forthcoming local government elections in Ogun State, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has reported.
Mr Mutiu Agboke, a commissioner in the state Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC), disclosed this at the screening exercise for councillorship aspirants of various political parties, at the commission’s headquarters in Abeokuta on Thursday.
The commissioner, who also heads the screening committee, said the exercise was aimed at ascertaining the eligibility of the candidates to contest in the election.
He assured the people of the state of the commission’s readiness to conduct free, fair and credible local government polls.
Commenting on the exercise, one of the aspirants, Temitope Babatunde, told NAN that the screening was thorough.
Babatunde said the exercise probed into their antecedents, credentials and programmes for the people at the grassroots.