*_…assures electorates of Credible Exercise
The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has assured the residents of Ekiti State that the Commission would do everything possible to prevent vote trading come June 18 Gubernatorial election.
Mahmood said this during a visit to Ekiti Council of Obas in Ado-Ekiti, as part of pre-election tour to conduct a free and fair election in the State.
The INEC Chairman said the Commission would collaborate with Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to stop inducement during the poll.
He equally guaranteed that adequate security would be provided during the election as necessary arrangements had been made with security agencies.
However, he enjoined the residents of the State to exercise their franchise by voting for their desired Candidate.
“We are going to take steps jointly with ICPC and EFCC to ensure that vote buying is eradicated.
I want to assure the people of Ekiti state that their votes will count.
They should all come out and vote on the Election day and exercise their franchise for their choice Candidate.
We will also meet the security agencies in the State to ensure peaceful election.” he said.
In a remark, the Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, Oba Gabriel Adejumo, praised INEC for the voting registration exercise it had undertaken in the state, saying this would help in widening citizens’ participations in the exercise.
The Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti and immediate past chairman of the council, Oba Adebanji Alabi tasked INEC on the need to tackle the excessive monetisation of the electoral process,
Oba Alabi said: “Our system must grow to allow those who are young, but competent, and who can pilot the affairs of the country very well to be allowed to exercise their rights .
“But with the way things are going , I see that only the moneybags will be having their ways. Let us have it the way USA produced the Barrack Obama at a tender age”.
