The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Osun State, yesterday issued a stern warning to its staff and those engaged as ad hoc officials for the August 9 governorship election in the state against being compromised, aiding or abetting rigging during the exercise. The commission stated that it would disown any of the staff, if caught.
State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, stated this in Osogbo, while briefing newsmen on the commission’s preparedness for the election.
“Let me state that in addition to administering the oath of affirmation/neutrality to all INEC permanent and ad hoc staff, the commission has sounded a very clear note of warning to them not to partake in any illegal activity during the election, as erring officials would be decisively dealt with.
“Similarly, anyone who runs contrary to the Electoral Act 2010 (as amenable) would be dealt with, in accordance with the relevant section of the law,” Agbaje said.
Agbaje also announced that the commission has created 3,379 voting points out of the existing 3,010 polling units, to accelerate the process of accreditation and voting, explained that the each of the units would be broken into two or three voting points within the same vicinity to ease accreditation and voting during the election.
He stated further that a total 10,432 ad hoc staff have been recruited for the election and are currently under intense training for the exercise.
The ad hoc staffs, he added, were from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Osun, Ekiti, Kwara, Oyo, Ondo and Kogi states, students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and staff of federal establishments in Osun State.
Agbaje added that 450,560 permanent voter cards were yet to be collected by their owners out of 1,410,684 PVCs received in the state as by July 31, 2014 representing 68.08 percent.
He assured the people of the state, Nigerians and the international community that INEC was more determined than ever to conduct a free, fair, credible and acceptable election that would meet the aspirations of all.
