Mahmood Yakubu, chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says five national commissioners and 12 resident electoral commissioners (RECs) are to supervise the Osun governorship election on Saturday, July 16.
Besides, 35 serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members with one form of disability or another have been identified, trained and engaged as ad-hoc staff at the polling unit level.
Speaking at the Osun governorship election stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo on Tuesday, Yakubu said the election was significant in many respects because it is also the last major off-cycle election before the 2023 general elections, which is 227 days (or 7 months and 5 days) away.
He stated that the commission had taken every step and made every arrangement for the successful conduct of the election.
The INEC chairman also said the Osun governorship election would be the first election in which INEC is deploying persons with disability (PWD) as ad-hoc staff.
“So far, we have successfully implemented 12 out of 14 activities contained in the timetable and schedule of activities for the election. The only two outstanding activities are the last day of campaign by political parties which ends at midnight on Thursday, July 14, 2022, and election day activities on Saturday, July 16, 2022.
“The commission has taken every step and made every arrangement for the successful conduct of the governorship election this weekend. We held consultative meetings with political parties and their candidates. We had several engagements with the security agencies at the national, state and local government levels.
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“We consulted with stakeholders. We sought for and received the blessings of royal fathers and religious leaders. We have recruited, trained and carefully screened all categories of ad-hoc staff to be deployed to the field. All non-sensitive materials for the election have been delivered to all our 30 local government area offices across the state. Voter education and sensitisation is ongoing. We have made arrangements for the transportation of personnel and materials to ensure that polling units open on schedule on election day.
“We also want to make PwDs to get more involved in election administration like everyone else. In this regard, the 2022 Osun State governorship election will also make history, being the first election in which INEC is deploying PwDs as ad-hoc staff. No less than 35 serving NYSC members with one form of disability or another have been identified, trained and engaged as ad hoc staff at the polling unit level”, he said.
Earlier, Abdulganiy Raji, the resident electoral commissioner, Osun State, said that INEC had mapped out strategies on all identified flash points while all issues were resolved in an effort to have a conclusive election on Saturday.
Also, Kunle Ajayi, the national commissioner in charge of Ogun, Ondo and Osun, assured that INEC said fully committed to conducting a credible and conclusive election.
He urged the people of Osun to come out in their numbers and conduct themselves orderly during the election so as to achieve an acceptable outcome.
Also, the inspector-general of police Usman Alkali Baba said appropriate security measures have been put in place with the deployment of over 21,000 personnel, including a deputy inspector-general of police (DIG), assistant inspectors-general (AIGs), and commissioners of police to all the 332 wards which covered three senatorial districts and nine federal constituencies.
The police boss assured the citizens and the electorate of adequate security of lives and property, urging them to come out and vote for a candidate of their choice.
