With just two days to the August 16 Ibadan North Federal Constituency by-election, candidates of five political parties in Oyo State have signed a peace accord, pledging to ensure a peaceful, free, fair, and transparent poll.
Egalitarian Voice reports that the agreement, signed on Wednesday at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) State Headquarters in Ibadan, was witnessed by the Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Adeniran Tella, and State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Femi Aruna.
Also in attendance were representatives of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Department of State Services (DSS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and National Orientation Agency (NOA).
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Dr. Tella explained that the accord was aimed at creating a conducive environment for voters to exercise their rights without fear or intimidation.
“Ultimately, this contributes to the legitimacy and credibility of the electoral process,” he said.
He noted that INEC has been in constant engagement with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), chaired by the Commissioner of Police, to ensure a hitch-free election.
Those who signed the pact include: Akin Alamu (African Democratic Congress, ADC), Haastrup Olatunji (All Progressives Congress, APC), Olabisi Odususi (All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA), Sunday Oyekunle (Peoples Democratic Party, PDP), and Hammed Badmus (Zenith Labour Party, ZLP).
The REC also confirmed that non-sensitive election materials had been deployed to the concerned local government area. The election will be conducted in 512 polling units with 272,196 registered voters, using 526 BVAS machines and 48 backups. Results, he added, will be uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) for transparency.
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In their separate remarks, APC candidate Olatunji commended INEC and security agencies for their readiness, while PDP’s Oyekunle urged the commission to ensure the process is free and credible.
— Egalitarian Voice
