Oyo REC Warns Against Violence, Vote Buying

Ahead of Saturday’s presidential election, eligible voters and stakeholders have been charged to go out and vote for the candidate of their choice and eschew all forms of electoral violence, including vote buying and trading in order to achieve credible and transparent elections.

The  Oyo State resident electoral commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr Rahmon Adeniran Tella who gave the charge at an enlarge stakeholders’ meeting held at Alice Place, University College Hospital (UCH), on Tuesday in Ibadan said the charge became imperative in order to  achieve free , fair and  transparent elections in the state.

Tella, while imploring political parties and candidates contesting the 2023 general election to keep to the rules and regulations of the election, urged the electorate to confirm their voting locations, get their PVCs, and eschew all forms of Electoral Violence that could undermine the polls.

“It is obvious that we are just five days away from the conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly Elections in the state, all hands should be  on deck to ensure  successful conduct of the election coupled  with the cooperation of all critical stakeholders.

“Indeed, I must commend the cooperative, supportive and committed efforts of all stakeholders in the electioneering process, especially our royal fathers and high chiefs here present.

“It gives me a great pleasure to welcome you all to this very important electoral stakeholder’s meetings geared specifically towards a successful 2023 general elections in the state.”

The INEC boss recalled that the commission began preparations since the conclusion of 2019 general elections with the expansion of voters having access to polling unit by converting the existing 1,607 voting points to full fledge polling units from initial number of 4,783 polling units now making a total number of 6,390 polling units in the state.

He said the commission began Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) in June 2021 to pave way for those who just turned 18 years or for those who  have not registered before and  for those whose Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) got defaced/lost or those that needed to transfer their voter’s card from one location to another.