Ogun LG Poll:Avoid Presenting Dubious Characters - OGSIEC Boss Charges Parties

Chairman of the Ogun  State Independent Electoral Commission OGSIEC),Mr.Babatunde Osibodu has charged political parties participating in the July 24 councils'poll, to avoid presenting dubious characters as their candidates for the excercise 

Osibodu who was speaking over the weekend in Abeokuta during the second stakeholders meeting organized by the electoral body ahead of the elections, stressed the need for political parties to strengthen their Internal democracies,by conducting a thorough background checking on character of aspirants contesting at their respective primaries

The OGSIEC boss also urged electorates to come out enmass and participate in the excercise, assuring them that their votes would count 

Osibodu explained that the commission decided to further amend the electoral times table, to accommodate the interests of political parties contesting the elections 

He added that the Commission had understudied the Local Government elections of some states, with the view to avoiding loopholes and errors during and after the exercise

He called on political parties, religious leaders and all stakeholders to play their part accordingly, submitting that for the election to be successful, everyone has roles to play.

 His words, “In our drive to ensure that the Commission conducts an election devoid of violence and chaos, we have been to other states to witness how they conducted theirs and consolidate on the knowledge and experiences gathered. Let me once again reiterate and assure you all of the Commission’s resolve to be fair, impartial, transparent, even handed and above all, not soil our consciences.

“It is now very imperative to remind all stakeholders of their responsibilities before, during and after the elections. I want to humbly advise security agencies to maintain and beef up security measures by building the confidence of the electorate to believe that they can safely come out to exercise their civic duties by voting for credible candidates of their choice. All security agencies in the State are therefore encouraged to rise to the challenge of the eventuality of violence, threats to life of personnel and the electorate”.

Delivering a talk on “Road map to Free, Fair and Credible Local Government elections”, representative of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr. Idowu Ayoyinka charged political parties, as well as electorate to comply with rules and regulations guiding the conduct of elections, noting that their conduct before, during and after elections should be centered on service to humanity.

He urged OGSIEC to ensure adequate logistics and budgeting were well taken care of, revealing that, ‘for an election to be free, fair and credible, logistical arrangement must be adequately prepared for”.

Earlier in her welcome address, Permanent Secretary, OGSIEC, Mrs. Mojisola Dosunmu maintained that the Commission will be neutral, urging politicians to advise their followers to avoid violence during the exercise.

Highlight of the event was an interactive session where various political parties, religious leaders, Civil Society Groups, Security Agencies among others asked diverse questions, as well as made suggestions instrumental to achieving credible polls.

Giving the vote of thanks, a Commissioner in the Commission, Mrs. Remilekun Olaopa appreciated political parties and other stakeholders for attending the event, promising the commitment of the Commission at addressing concerns raised.

Other groups who graced the occasion included the National Association of People Living with Disability, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Committee for the Defense of Human Right (CDHR), the Christain Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), among others