Chairman, Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), Mr Isiaka Olagunju has disclosed that over 10,000 security agents and about 16,000 ad-hoc staff are to be involved in the election to be held in 6,393 polling units across the state.
This comes as political parties expressed confidence in a free and fair local government election in Oyo on Saturday, just as they are upbeat about their chances.
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, on Thursday, Chairman, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Mr Adegbenro Fagbemi said political parties were satisfied that the processes leading up to Saturday’s election were on track.
He stated this as representatives of political parties, at the OYSIEC headquarters, Ibadan, monitored the loading of electoral materials into trucks for distribution to the various polling units, on Thursday.
He, however, said the IPAC’s ‘trivial’ concern is that it would have desired that each truck conveying electoral materials should also carry an IPAC member to monitor and ensure safe landing of the materials at OYSIEC offices.
On his part, Secretary, Oyo APC, Mr Tajudeen Olanite said the party was satisfied with the process of distribution of the materials and the assurances of a free and fair election obtained from OYSIEC.
He added that the APC loved the fact that the announcement of election results will flow from unit to ward and local government level.
Commending the processes thus far as fantastic, he said the party’s only fear was how the field officers would conduct themselves on election day.
Olanite said the party was confident that the APC would win “as much as possible local government areas” on Saturday.
Also speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in Oyo, Mr Olatunji Sadiq said the party does not doubt the assurance of OYSIEC that the election would be free and fair.
Sadiq said the LP was fielding candidates in 13 out of the 33 local government areas where it was confident of winning.
He, however, said the LP was displeased that it was not given the number of polling unit agents’ tags that it requested.
Sadiq said the party requested 3,184 tags but was given only 181 tags.
Notwithstanding, he said the LP would still despatch its polling unit agents accordingly.
Meanwhile, the confidence of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reached a ceiling point with the party’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Micheal Ogunsina proclaiming that the party will win all polling units in the election.
He hinged his confidence on the performance of the Makinde administration and the fact that it was the only party that campaigned in all the nooks and crannies of the state.
A confident Ogunsina said: “If we lose any polling unit, I can resign.”
Ogunsina added that the PDP will record a sweeping victory because, according to him, other parties are fragmented with candidates that are not visible in their areas of contest.
Meanwhile, the OYSIEC Chairman, Isiaka Olagunju, while addressing journalists at the commission’s headquarters, Agodi, Ibadan, on Thursday, rubbished rumours insinuations in some quarters that elections results would simply be written to favour a particular political party.
Assuring a free and fair process and early arrival of electoral materials, the OYSIEC Chairman said, as of Thursday, sensitive materials have got to no fewer than 15 local government areas.
Asked what could lead to cancellation of results, he mentioned violence, threats of violence, mix-up of or failure to deliver voting materials to polling units as expected.
On modalities for announcement of results, Olagunju said parties and their votes will be announced at wards and local government levels while names of winners will be announced at the state headquarters.
Up from 29.7 percent turnout rate in the last local government election, Olagunju expressed optimism of a 50 percent voter turnout in Saturday’s election.
He hinged his positivity of an improved voter turnout on the commission’s ability to repose confidence in political parties and the electorate of a free and fair election.
This, he said, is evidenced in the fact that, like never before, 19 political parties are presenting candidates for the election while there was only litigation relating to the election that the OYSIEC was joined.
He added that the commission had obtained the cooperation of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to guard border towns and prevent non-Nigerians from crossing the border to vote.
