- As JDPMC Organises Roundtable Discussion
Kazeem Badmus
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed its readiness towards the July 16 gubernatorial election in the State of Osun, maintaining that there will not be anything like inconclusive in the election.
This is just as the commission said it has recorded about 600,020 registered voters online, while over 250,000 have completed their registration.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Prof. Abdulganiy Raji, made this known on Tuesday during a roundtable discussion with stakeholders ahead of the 2022 gubernatorial election.
The discussion was organised by Justice Development and Peace Makers Centre (JDPMC) Osogbo.
According to Raji, the commission has received non-sensitive materials for the election and efforts were ongoing to ensure a hitch free election.
He said: “We are here to talk with the stakeholders, especially the CSOs and we have explained our level of preparedness and all the things we have put in place to ensure we have a smooth election.
“We have taken the delivery of the materials we needed for the election except for sensitive materials. All we are soliciting for is the entire cooperation of the people of Osun state.
“We are ready to conduct a free, fair, credible, inclusive and conclusive election. We want a violent free election.
“Osun state has recorded about 600,020 registered voters online and over 250,000 have completed their registration”.
Earlier in his welcome address, the General Coordinator, Justice Development and Peace Makers Centre, Osogbo, Rev. Peter Akinkunmi, appealed to all stakeholders to work together in other to have a hitch-free election.
Akinkunmi said: “Electoral process in Osun state in the past few years has been wonderful as a result of the collaboration between INEC, Civil Society Organisations and the media as well. It has been a beautiful experience and one which has enabled us to progress meaningfully in our democracy in Osun state.
“We need to have constant conversation with one another to understand the new development and the issues arising from such development in order to enable us prepare accordingly.
“Just as INEC has been improving on the use of technology and this has had consequence in the process of election, so also, the civil society organisation and the media are improving in their adoption of technology in their participation in the electoral process.
“All of this have warranted that there is a need for us to have exchanges that will help us to understand the space where we are going to operate ahead of the coming election.”
Some of the stakeholders who spoke at the event urged INEC to work with security agencies to have a violence free election and minimise vote buying.
