TRADITIONAL rulers in Ekiti State have charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure fairness to all participants in the July 2018 governorship election in the state and also be firm in its dealings with the people. This is just as INEC has said that it will ensure that the election will not be cash and carry, as it admitted was witnessed in recent elections in parts of the country.
Monarchs in Ekiti under the aegis of Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers; Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu and others spoke at a stakeholders forum organised in Ado Ekiti, on Monday by the electoral body, preparatory to the July 14 governorship election.
The meeting was attended by the deputy governor, Professor Kolapo Olusola, who is also an aspirant in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), leaders of political parties, security agencies, market women, civil society organisations, labour leaders, among other relevant groups and individuals.
Professor Yakubu, who was represented by INEC’s National Chairman in charge of Oyo, Ekiti, Osun and Ondo states, Mr Solomon Soyebi, said “the elections in Edo, Ondo and Anambra States were largely monetized. We are aware of this. It was ‘see and buy,’ but it won’t happen in Ekiti.”
Yakubu added that it was N5,000 per vote in Ondo and Anambra states. We are working with security agencies not to allow it to happen again. We even seized some cash in Anambra State.
“In Ekiti election, we won’t allow any vehicle to come near the polling units, because the politicians keep the money in the boot. With this, it will reduce because politicians can’t carry a large amount of money in their pockets.”
Traditional rulers, who spoke on the occasion, warned INEC against manipulation of the election, urging it “not to outsmart the smart card readers, so that the state can have a credible election that will be acceptable to all.”
The Attah of Ayede, Oba Mumini Adebayo Orisagbemi; the Alara of Aramoko, Oba Olu Adeyemi and the Alare of Are-Ekiti, Oba Jacob Boluwade Adebiyi, charged INEC to ensure transparency and enthrone fairness.
Oba Adebiyi said: “INEC boss, we are aware of smart card reader that will be used for this election. Our appeal is: Do not outsmart the smart card reader, so that we can have a peaceful poll.”
The Attah, Oba Orisagbemi said “INEC is like a referee in a football match. We have never heard of a referee trying to score a goal in a match. If INEC as a referee wants to score a goal in Ekiti, our people won’t allow that.”
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abdullahi Chafe, said the police has mapped out a strategy to stop electoral malfeasance by ensuring that four policemen man a polling unit to ward off thuggery and manipulation.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti, Prof Abdulganiy Raji, said over 218,000 PVCs were yet to be claimed, urging the stakeholders to sensitize their people to be aware of their obligations during elections.
The Deputy governor, said Ekiti people are peace-loving people, saying: “all we want from INEC is neutrality, so that Ekiti can be at peace before, during and after this election,” he stated.
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