AUTHORITIES of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Thursday in Osogbo hinted that majority of non-sensitive materials that would be used for the conduct of September 22 governorship poll in Osun have been received in the state from headquarters of the electoral body in Abuja.
Making this disclosure during the presentation of soft copies of voters’ register to all the 48 political parties, participating in the exercise, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC in Osun State, Mr Olusegun Agbaje said the non sensitive materials have been subsequently distributed to all the local government offices of the umpire across the state.
He, however, restated that stiffer sanctions await any political party or politician that plan to engage in votes buying during the conduct of the forthcoming governorship poll in Osun, declaring that INEC was already collaborating with relevant security agencies to nip such ugly incidence in the bud.
According to him, “let me use this opportunity to reiterate that INEC is not pleased with the issue of vote buying particularly as reported by both domestic and international observers during the last Ekiti State governorship election and as we speak, efforts are on towards nipping it in the bud, especially during Osun State governorship election through our targeted and comprehensive voter education programme”.
“You will agree with me that political parties’ leaders have a very big role to play if we must eradicate the monster called vote buying that is currently undermining the conduct of credible elections in Nigeria. In this regard, the commission more than ever before needs the assistance of everyone particularly politicians especially in the area of ensuring that voters are not induced with money on election day”, Agbaje remarked.
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He further hinted that “a total of 1, 152, 773 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs), representing 69.09% have been collected by their owners out of 1, 668, 524 PVCs received in the state so far, leaving the balance of 515, 773 PVCs, representing 30.91% as at 17th August 2018”.
Agbaje continued, “there is, however, an ongoing effort towards taking PVCs to the RA/Ward level between Thursday 30th August and Sunday, 2nd September, 2018 to boost the collection ahead of the election”, adding that “the commission would carry out other statutory activities such as publication of final list nominated candidates on 23rd, August 2018 and publication of the notice of poll on 7th, September 2018, while Saturday, 8th September is the final day for the submission of names of party agents for the election”.
In his remark, the INEC National Electoral Commissioner in charge of Osun, Oyo and Ekiti states, Chief from Abuja Adedeji Solomon Shoyebi charged political gladiators to eschew violence and other forms of malpractices during the governorship poll.
He averred that “I want to note that this another election. Politicians should be conscious of the need to eschew violence in our electoral process. The campaign has been peaceful and we want all the political parties to sustain this feat. INEC will not condone violence. We are going to checkmate ugly incidence of votes buying in Osun, anybody that is caught inducing voters with money during this election would not find it funny. As you go about campaigning, intensify your sensitisation against vote buying”.
How long shall this Fulani terrorist government last with their agent of terror inec
2023
If (INEC) you conduct in Ondo the type of election Conducted in Ekiti State, Nigerian would regard you as the worse body to conduct election in Nigerian and best in malpractice in Africa.So ALL POLITICAL PARTIES SHOULD HAVE A HARD COPY OF RESULT DULY SIGN AT EACH POLL BOAT,God help Nigeria.