The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Monday supervised a mock accreditation exercise conducted in some selected polling units across Osun State ahead of the July 16 governorship poll.
This is just as he disclosed that candidates in the election will sign a peace accord next week under the supervision of the National Peace Committee.
The INEC boss monitored exercise at registration area/ward–Ataoja ‘D’ (040), polling unit – CAC Grammar School, Araromi, Osogbo and registration area/ward-Ataoja ‘E’ (05), polling unit-Salvation Army Primary School (005), both within Osogbo metropolis.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after observing the exercise at one of the polling units, the INEC boss said the exercise was to assess the readiness of the commission for the poll.
He said, “We are here on readiness assessment of the commission to conduct the election on July 16, 2022 and also to visit the some designated centres while we are doing a mock accreditation exercise.
“In this particular centre, we achieve 100% success for all those who presented themselves for accreditation so far.
“Next week, I will be back in the state again to meet with stakeholders, and then there will be the signing of a peace accord under the auspices of the National Peace Committee. So, that is our mission.”
Earlier, while inspecting non-sensitive materials at the premises of Osogbo Local Government INEC office, Yakubu, who was accompanied by the commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun, Prof. Abdulganiyy Raji, said the July 16 election should be better than recent Ekiti poll and called for early movement of materials to various units.
Giving further instructions to the electoral officer for the local government, Yakubu said, “Identify the registration area centres so that on the election day, you can activate the centres as early as 6am. We should be waiting for the electorate, not otherwise.
“Remember, Ekiti was good, but we want Osun to beat our record in Ekiti and the 2023 general election. We rely on you for transportation arrangement, early movement of materials, liaise with the security and move them in good time.
“We must do this right. At the RAC centres, ensure adequate electricity so that they can recharge some of the equipment like the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System and power banks. So, on election day we can have a seamless exercise.”
Meanwhile, the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje; and his Lagos State counterpart, Babajide Sanwoolu, on Monday, urged Osun voters to re-elect the state governor, Adegboyega Oyetola.
The two governors addressed the Odo Otin Local Government’s All Progressives Congress governorship rally in Okuku.
Sanwo-Olu, who is also the chairman of the APC Campaign Council for the election, stated that the ruling party intends to record a landslide victory in the election, which serves as a prelude to the 2023 general elections.
“We are not here just to win but to win big as a precursor to a bigger election that is coming up in 2023. Oyetola has impressed us as a party; more of our colleagues are still coming in solidarity,” he said.
Also speaking at the rally, which was attended by the National Secretary of the party, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Ganduje, who is the co-chairman, APC Campaign Council for the election, predicted an overwhelming victory for the party in the election and appealed to the electorate to vote for Oyetola.
