*Says future of over 200m Nigerians depends on outcome
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi has tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to disappoint Nigerians in the conduct of the 2023 general elections.
Ooni Ogunwusi who is the Co-Chairman of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) gave the task at the weekend, while receiving the Osun State INEC Resident Electoral Commission (REC), Dr Mutiu Agboke into his Ile Oodua palace in Ile Ife.
According to Ooni Ogunwusi, with the introduction of high-powered technology to our electoral lives in the country, there should be no basis for INEC to disappoint Nigerians in this year’s general elections.
The Co-Chairman of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), emphasized that INEC this time around should ensure credible conduct of the February and March this year’s polls
“I wish to laud this current administration for providing the needs of INEC and I also commend the INEC for the introduction of high-powered technology to our electoral lives. If you ask me, INEC has no reason to disappoint Nigerians and I want to believe that, that won’t happen”, he said.
Ooni Ogunwusi added, “The last election held in Osun is enough as a barometer for INEC to discover and overcome all possible hitches in its system so that we can have a perfect election.”
Speaking further, the Ooni reaffirmed the support of the traditional institution for INEC and that the commission on its part should be transparent during the general elections.
Emphasizing that the future of over 200 million Nigerians depends on the outcomes of the elections, Ooni Ogunwusi said, ” the rumour that the election could be postponed has caused a lot of panic in the system but I am also glad that INEC has debunked it and assured Nigerians that elections will hold as scheduled.”
INEC REC in Osun state, Dr Mutiu Agboke while speaking disclosed that the commission had put in place measures to ensure a free, fair, and credible general elections, adding that gone are the days when voters would be expecting the results for days, because presently in Nigeria, where you vote is where you’ll see the results.
“People’s votes are now counting through the introduction of technology to electioneering processes and that is why INEC is building on this achievement as we go into the forthcoming general election,”he said
The INEC REC added, “One of the reasons why I am here is to solicit Your Majesty’s support and help us talk to our people to collect their PVCs.;I have also come to assure Your Majesty that nothing will determine the winner in the forthcoming elections except from the electorate in Osun”.
Lamenting the refusal of some Osun residents to collect their Permanent Voter Cards, Dr Agboke said, ” in Osun State now, we have 400,585 PVCs uncollected; these PVCs are enough to make someone a member of the National Assembly.
Emphasizing that the era of manipulation and result forging had gone for good, the REC said, ” our
Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is the game changer for this coming election; everyone must be accredited by this machine and no one will be allowed to vote without accreditation”,
