Oyo: INEC Recruits 610 Officials for Ibarapa East bye Election

THE Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has recruited and screened 610 officials for Saturday bye election in Ibarapa East State Constituency.

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Oyo state, Barrister Mutiu Agboke stated this on Wednesday at enlarged stakeholders election forum meeting on the bye election into the vacant seat of Ibarapa East state constituency held at Eruwa Town Hall.

Barrister Agboke said sufficient and non- sensitive election materials have been procured for this election, adding that there is no course for alarm concerning the quantity and quality of materials to use.

According to him, the apex electoral body does not rate elections on the scale of small and big elections, stressing that elections are equally rated as serious, without any being downgraded.

The INEC Boss explained that, Ibarapa east state constituency comprises 10 registration areas and One hundred and forty polling units spread across the constituency.

He maintained that for this bye election and subsequent elections, accreditation and voting will take place simultaneously.

Speaking on security, Barrister Agboke said the Inter Agency Consultative Committee On Election Security comprising the security agencies in Oyo state have been meeting to strategize and to also fine tune security strategies that will ensure protection for poll officials and voting materials as well as voters.

He said INEC has done necessary things in order to ensure smooth and peaceful conduct of the exercise.

Also, in his remarks, the Area commander, Ibarapa Zone, ACP Sola Oketunji said there is adequate security for the Saturday bye election, urging youths and political leaders to obey the law and order in regards of the elections.

In their separate responses, the representative of Eleruwa of Eruwa, Chief Bola Fashina, Chairman IPAC, Oyo state, Alhaji Waheed Oyewole and Rector, Ibarapa Polytechnic enjoined the people of Ibarapa east state constituency to corporate with the commission at ensuring free, fair and credible elections.

Seven political parties including, Accord Party, All Progressives Congress, FDP, HDP, MPN, MPN, NPC and PDP are expected to participate in the Saturday bye election in Ibarapa east state constituency.