Osun Bye Election: INEC Assures Officials, Electorates adequate Security

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), of the Osun Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Alhaji Nasiru Ayilara on Thursday assured residents of Ife-Central, Osun, of adequate security and protection for the electorates, as it conducts bye-election for Ife-Central state constituency on Saturday April 9.

Ayilara gave this assurance at the INEC’s state secretariat in Osogbo, during a press briefing organized to communicate INEC’s preparedness concerning the bye-election.

Ife-Central State Constituency became vacant following the death of Honourable Makinde Oladejo (representing Ife-Central state constituency), who passed away on of December 27, 2015 after a brief illness.

The commissioner said, “After holding meetings with security agencies in the state, they gave us the assurance that security would be provided for election materials, residents as well as the 817 INEC officials and NYSC members that would conduct the election.”

He said what happened in River’s state would be prevented in Osun as restriction of movement would be imposed between 8am to 4pm and that security agents are up to the task of maintaining law and order for the duration of the election.

Ayilara however explained that only 52,393 electorates in Ife-Central would be eligible to vote out of the 95, 232 registered voters in the zone, because those are the only people with Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).

He said in compliance with the new INEC policy, accreditation and voting would be carried-out simultaneously till the last person on the queue cast his or her vote.

Ayilara who added that though Ife-Central is a small local government said it is very important and historical to INEC, which warrants deployment of INEC officials from Abuja and Kogi state.

He said the bye-election would take place in 11 wards, 168 polling units across Ife-Central Local Government Area in Osun and that the materials for the election would be moved from Osogbo INEC state headquarters to Ife INEC stations/wards on Friday.

The INEC commissioner however called for support from the media just as he promised free, fair and credible election.