The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has deployed five National Commissioners and twelve Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs, for the Saturday July 16, 2022 Osun State Governorship Election to ensure a credible process.
INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, who disclosed this at the Stakeholders’ Meeting in Osogbo, on Tuesday, said the commission is taking every step necessary to ensure that the Saturday election is free, fair, credible and inclusive.
Yakubu assured party stakeholders of INEC’s commitment to conduct a conclusive gubernatorial election, stating that INEC has learnt its lessons and will provide a much improved process in the 2022 Osun State Governorship Election.
“I wish to reassure you that the Commission has taken every step to ensure that the election this weekend is free, fair, transparent, credible, inclusive and conclusive.
“With every election, we learn lessons, and in every subsequent election there is improvement from the previous election; yes, we agree that there were issues in the Osun governorship election in 2018, but we have learnt lessons from that election and that’s why this time around, we are deploying 5 National Commissioners and 12 RECs to support the process being handled by our state office.
“As was the case in previous elections, various stakeholders would like to be given assurances in two critical areas. First is the transparency, inclusivity and credibility of the election; and, secondly, its security and peaceful conduct.
“We are taking both issues very seriously. I will speak about our preparations for a free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive election while I leave the issue of security to the Inspector General of Police,” he said.
Recall that in 2018, INEC declared the Osun State governorship election inconclusive, prompting a supplementary election that saw the emergence of the incumbent governor, Gboyega Oyetola, under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The INEC boss reassured political parties, candidates and the electorate that the choice of who becomes the next Governor of Osun State is entirely in the hands of voters.
“As I have repeatedly said in previous engagements with stakeholders, INEC will not take any action to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate. Our focus is on the processes and procedures as provided by law,” he said.
On the preparedness for Saturday’s election, he said INEC has successfully implemented 12 out of 14 activities contained in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election.
He disclosed that the only two outstanding activities are the last day of campaign by political parties which ends at midnight on Thursday 14th July 2022 and Election Day activities on Saturday 16th July 2022.
He further noted that of the 1,955,657 registered voters in Osun State, 1,479,595, representing 76 per cent have collected their cards as at Sunday 10th July 2022, adding that INEC is also updating its records to provide detailed breakdown of PVCs collected by polling units.
He said “The Commission has accredited Polling Agents nominated by political parties for the 3,763 polling units, 332 Ward collation centres, 30 Local Government Area collation centres and the State Collation Centre where the final declaration of result will be made.
“As an indication of the intense national and international interest in the 2022 Osun State Governorship Election, 87 Observer groups (79 domestic and 8 international) deploying a total of 7,790 field observers have been accredited for the election. Similarly, 94 media organisations (92 national and 2 international) deploying 624 journalists have been accredited to cover the election,” he said.
While speaking on sundry violations of electoral laws, including the practice of vote buying, he expressed unreserved support for the establishment of Electoral Offences Commission to improve the quality of national elections.
“Our effort will be given a boost by the establishment of the Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal as recommended by the Uwais Committee in 2009, reinforced by the Lemu Committee in 2011 and the Nnamani Committee in 2017. Happily, the Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal Bill is under consideration of the National Assembly. INEC supports this initiative and appeals to the National Assembly for a speedy conclusion and passage of the Bill into law,” he said.
Earlier, the Osun State Resident Electoral
Commissioner, Prof. Abdulganiy Olayinka Raji, said INEC reviewed previous elections of 2018 and the the 2019 general election to ensure the conduct of a free, fair, credible, inclusive and conclusive process on Saturday.
Raji said flash points have been identified and strategies mapped out to resolve issues that can truncate Election Process, adding that conversion of Voting Points to Polling Units were done to ensure expansion of Voter Access to Polling Units, this increased the Polling Units in Osun from 3010 to 3763.
“To ensure adequate security and peaceful elections, Polling Units were moved away from often contested places such as the front of houses of Politicians, Palaces, Religious centres to Public buildings or open spaces.
“Any moment from now we expect the
delivery of the Sensitive materials. We have produced Maps of all Polling Units
in the State both electronically and hardcopy for ease of movement and
location to Polling Units by the Poll Officials, Staff of INEC and Election
Monitors, Observers and the Security Agents. Poll Officials have been
adequately trained and ready for deployment, Security Personnel and other election stakeholders in the State have equally been trained,” he said.
Also speaking, the Oni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, commended INEC for its commitment towards ensuring a credible process on Saturday, while expressing support for a fair, transparent, and credible process.
In his remarks, the Inspector General of Police, Mr Usman Alkali Baba, said the police was aware of the threats to democracy and has mapped out strategies to deal with the threats before, during and after the election.
Baba said a total of 21,000 police officers will be deployed for the exercise, stating that the three Senatorial Districts of Osun State, as well as the 3332 wards and the 3673 polling units have been appropriately mapped out with adequate personnel who will ensure that security is maintained.
The Inspector General of Police warned troublemakers to stay away from the polling units as they will be identified, isolated and dealt with.