‘BALLOT, NOT BULLETS, WILL DECIDE OSUN GOVERNORSHIP POLL,’ INEC SAYS AS PVC COLLECTION IS EXTENDED
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured voters and political stakeholders that the August 15 Osun State governorship election will be determined by the ballot box rather than violence, declaring its readiness to conduct a free, fair and credible poll.
The Commission also extended the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to Friday, July 31, to allow more eligible voters to obtain their cards ahead of the election.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, gave the assurance on Wednesday during an Expanded Stakeholders’ Meeting in Osogbo, saying the Commission had concluded its operational, technological and logistical preparations for the election across the state’s 30 Local Government Areas.
“The ballot box, not the bullet, will determine the future of Osun State,” Amupitan declared, stressing that the Commission would not allow violence, intimidation or electoral malpractice to undermine the will of the people.
He disclosed that 2,339,233 registered voters are expected to participate in the election across 3,763 polling units, 332 Registration Areas and the state’s 30 Local Government Areas, while 14 political parties have fielded candidates.
According to the INEC Chairman, only 322,822 newly registered voters, representing about 60 per cent, had collected their PVCs as of Tuesday, prompting the Commission to extend the exercise until Friday.
He said the Commission would also collaborate with security agencies to deploy patrol vehicles to PVC collection centres to enhance security and encourage greater voter participation.
Amupitan disclosed that 4,427 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines, including backup units, had been configured and deployed for the election.
He added that voting would begin at 8:30 a.m. on election day, while Registration Area Centres (RACs) would open on August 14 to facilitate the movement of election officials, security personnel and materials.
As part of efforts to test its readiness, INEC announced that a mock accreditation exercise would be conducted on August 1 in selected Local Government Areas across Osun’s three senatorial districts.
The INEC Chairman said the Commission had activated an Electoral Risk Management framework in collaboration with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security and development partners to identify potential flashpoints and strengthen security deployment in vulnerable communities.
He identified Atakunmosa East, Atakunmosa West, Boripe, Ede North, Ede South, Ife Central, Ifedayo, Ila and Ifelodun among areas receiving special security attention.
Amupitan also confirmed recent attacks on INEC facilities in Odo Otin and Ife Centre, during which batches of uncollected PVCs were stolen.
He, however, assured voters that the stolen cards could not be used because accreditation requires the biometric verification of the legitimate owner through the BVAS.
According to him, affected voters will receive replacement or downloadable PVCs before the election.
The Commission also announced measures aimed at ensuring inclusive participation in the election.
These include braille ballot guides for visually impaired voters, magnifying glasses for persons with albinism and low vision, as well as priority voting for persons with disabilities, pregnant women, nursing mothers and elderly citizens.
To combat vote-buying, Amupitan said INEC is working with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to monitor both cash and electronic financial transactions linked to electoral offences.
He added that undercover anti-corruption operatives would be deployed around polling units on election day.
The INEC Chairman further disclosed that all 14 political parties participating in the election would sign a Peace Accord on Thursday, July 30, under the auspices of the National Peace Committee and the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).
Earlier, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Osun State, Mrs. Oluwatoyin O. Babalola, said the Commission had completed 11 of the 13 activities contained in its timetable for the governorship election.
She revealed that the state’s voter register increased from 1,954,800 before the Continuous Voter Registration exercise to 2,339,233 after the exercise.
Babalola said voter registers had already been distributed to political parties, while all non-sensitive election materials had been delivered to the state’s 30 Local Government Areas and prepared for deployment.
She added that sensitive election materials arrived in Osun on July 27 and are currently secured at the Central Bank of Nigeria in Osogbo.
According to the REC, training for ad hoc staff will run from July 31 to August 9, while accreditation of journalists covering the election will close on August 2.
She also disclosed that transport unions had been engaged to facilitate the seamless movement of election personnel and materials before and after the poll.
Also speaking, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, who represented the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Tunji Disu, assured residents that security agencies would remain neutral and professional throughout the election.
He warned politicians and their supporters against vote-buying, violence and other electoral offences, stressing that anyone found violating the Electoral Act would be arrested and prosecuted irrespective of political affiliation.
The stakeholders’ meeting ended with renewed calls on political parties, candidates, traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations and the media to promote peace and support efforts toward a credible, peaceful and inclusive governorship election in Osun State.
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