By: ‘Yomi Ayeleso – Ado-Ekiti
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed to stakeholders, especially political actors, to support the commission in conducting the supplementary poll for Ido-Osi state constituency 1, Ido-Osi Local Government Area House of Assembly seat.
The commission had declared the election held in the constituency on March 18 inconclusive due to the margin of lead principle that was applied following disruption of voting in some polling units.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Professor Ayobami Salami, who spoke on Thursday during the presentation of certificate of return to House of Assembly members-elect in Ado-Ekiti, expressed the commission’s readiness for peaceful and hitch-free conclusion of the inconclusive election.
Salami said, “The inconclusive election will be concluded on April 15. We only have three polling units in the constituency where the election will hold. That should not be too much of a challenge. We are prepared, we are ready to conduct the election on the 15th of April.”
The REC noted that the electoral body had been appealing to all the stakeholders in Ido/Osi Constituency 1 “to please cooperate with INEC and the security agencies so that we can have a successful conclusion of this process.
“I believe that we are going to get more support and more collaboration of all stakeholders. We need to work with the security agencies, we need to work with the political parties, we need to work with the civil society organizations and all stakeholders to ensure that we have a successful election in the place.”
Salami, who said that the conduct of election to the State House of Assembly of Ekiti State on March 18 was very peaceful, said, “Today (Thursday), we issued the certificates of return to 25 members-elect of the House of Assembly,” adding that poll to elect the 26th member would be completed on April 15.
A lawmaker-elect and Chairman, House of Assembly Committee on Media and Publicity, Adeoye Aribasoye (All Progressives Congress, Ikole 1), who appreciated his people for giving him a second term ticket to represent them again, said he would not let the state down.
Also, a lawmaker elect, Babatunde Omotayo (Social Democratic Party, Ise/Orun), said, “I am not going to the House to form opposition, rather, I am going there to defend the interest of my people. I will join hands with my colleagues to pass good laws and protect the interest of my people.”
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