Local Government Elections: Oyo Electoral Commission Seeks Support of Political Parties
Olubunmi Osoteku, Ibadan.
The Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) has engaged with the leadership of political parties in the State as part of its preparation for the 2024 Local Government Council elections.
The OYSIEC chairman, Isiaka Olagunju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, while speaking, on Tuesday at a meeting attended by representatives of registered political parties in the State, sought the support of political parties and other relevant stakeholders to achieve credible elections.
Olagunju, who reiterated the commitment of the commission to conducting free, fair and credible Local Government elections, admonished the political parties to play according to the rules in the interest of the State.
“The Commission can only achieve success with your support and cooperation.
“The government, in all fairness, is ready to conduct the election.
“We did our best during the last Local Government Council elections. What is important is to have a common goal of serving the people. We are all human beings; we should be united and endeavour to do the right thing at all times.
“Kindly appeal to your people to have trust in the Commission. If you have a credible candidate, definitely, that person will win.
“On our part at the Commission, we won’t compromise,” Olagunju promised.
The chairman maintained that serving the people accordingly should be a common goal, which all political parties should strive to attain, noting that the Commission would continually engage the political parties and other relevant stakeholders for a successful poll.
On his part, the Chairman, Inter Party Advisory Council, Oyo State (IPAC), Mr Dare Ojo, stressed the need for proper planning and better orientation of key players in the election process, saying that would go a long way in achieving a peaceful election.
Ojo, who is also the Chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in the State, further called on the political parties not to see the elections as a do-or-die affair but to develop the spirit of sportsmanship while going to the polls.
The ADP chairman advised the leadership of OYSIEC to synergize with relevant stakeholders and intensify efforts at educating the populace on the need to embrace Local Government elections so as to record massive turnout on election day.
“The meeting was encouraging and most of the political parties were on the ground.
“The meeting brainstormed on how the last Local Government election went, how to prepare for the next one and urged all political parties to participate as long as there is a common goal.
“My submission is that political leaders should have the spirit of sportsmanship, and we take that spirit to the election day.
“We should be able to see it as a football competition: when two people are playing, one has to win; one has to lose.
“For OYSIEC, all election materials should be on deck on election day; adequate publicity on recruitment of ad-hoc staff and training are essential,” the IPAC chairman concluded.
