July 8 Osun bye-election:
We’re ready!
-INEC, security agencies assure
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and security agencies in Osun state have declared their readiness for the July 8, Osun West Senatoral bye-election, assuring that the process would be credible, transparent and acceptable to all.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting held at INEC state office in Osogbo yesterday, Mr. Baritor Kpagih, the Delta State Resident Electoral Commissioner deployed to Osun to conduct the poll, assured that the body has concluded arrangements to conduct a credible election.
Giving further details, Kpagih said voting will commence across wards in the Senatorial District by 8am and end by 2pm with a caveat that, whosoever remains on queue by 2pm would still be allowed to vote.
INEC He added that accreditation and voting will take place simultaneously, noting that eleven political parties are fielding candidates in the election Explaining that only the electorates with Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, verified by card readers would be allowed to vote, the REC said the materials to be used are customized on local government basis, which makes it difficult to divert them. In his remarks, the Commissioner of police, Mr. Olafimihan Adeoye, said there would be restriction of vehicular movement between the hours of 6:00am and 6:00pm on the election day, with an exception of Ibadan/Ife expressway, which shall not be blocked to traffic. Warning that anyone caught fomenting trouble would be made to face full wrath of the law regardless of his or her party affiliations, Adeoye said those who have no role to play during the election should stay off polling area.
Speaking in similar vein, the State Director of DSS, said the service has a list of possible trouble makers already, saying that due attention is being paid to already identified flash points across West Senatorial District. The state Director of NYSC, Mr. Emmanuel Attah, assured all political parties that the corps members that would be deployed for the exercise would be fair and warned politicians not to harass or intimidate them.
He dispelled insinuations that there are fake corp members already in the state and said anyone that attempts to impersonate corps members would be detected and handed over to security operatives.
– Vanguard
