The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Oyo State, Dr. Rahmon Tella, has disclosed that out of 3,276.675 eligible registered voters in Oyo State, a total number of 2,325,372 PVCs had been collected so far.
Tella, while speaking during an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting towards a successful 2023 general election, held at Alice Hall, Ibadan, stated that the total number of old PVCs collected was 2,088,558, while the total number of collected new/fresh registration PVCs was 236,814.
He stressed that that the total PVCs so far collected including both old and new/fresh registration was 2,325,372.
“As I speak to you now, we have a total number of 3,276.675 eligible registered voters in Oyo State,” the REC stated.
While speaking on how favourable the security situation in the state ahead the forthcoming elections is, Tella said that the commission in collaboration with the Nigeria Police, organised a peace accord among all the eithteen political parties’ governorship candidates across the length and breadth of the state early in the year, adding: “We all know that meaningful development cannot take place in an environment devoid of peace.”
“It is therefore my pleasure to let you know that all candidates have promised to let peace reign as we prepare for the forthcoming elections in the State.”
Speaking on the recruitment and training of election personnel, Tella said: “We have in the last few months been saddled with the process of online recruitment and training of both ad-hoc and Staff members ahead of the polls.”
“Series of training have been ongoing, while some have been concluded accordingly. The likes of training of Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) on Polls Management and BVAS operations, the training of Presiding/Assistant Presiding Officers POs/APOs, Electoral Security training for Security Personnel and such like. However, training for Registration Area Technicians (RATECH) and Collation Officers will soon begin as well.”
On his update about the political parties, he said: “No fewer than eighteen registered political parties in the state namely, Accord Party (AP), Action Alliance (AA), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Parties (NNPP), National Rescue Movement (NRM) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressive Party (YPP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Boot Party (BP), respectively are going to participate in the forthcoming elections.
“Out of the 38 petition cases received during the conduct of party primaries in the state, 36 cases were won, the court ordered for one fresh primary which has been concluded while we have one still pending at the Appeal Court accordingly.”
“It is no longer a news that the campaign activities for the presidential and national assembly elections which commenced from Wednesday, 28th September, 2022 is expected to come to an end at midnight of Thursday, 23rd February. 2023.”
Likewise, that of the governorship and house of assembly elections campaign activities which began from October 12th, 2022 will come to an end at midnight of Thursday 9th March 2023 respectively.”
“I therefore implore political parties and candidates to keep to the rules and regulations of campaign activities just as we draw nearer to the election day,” Tella said.
The various stakeholders invited for the meeting, reiterated their commitment towards ensuring a violence-free general elections.
In his remarks, the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP. Adebowale Williams, who was represented by ACP Ekenem Oseni said: “We don’t have or record any negative incidence during the presidential campaign in the state, though there is issue of fuel scarcity and we’ve been able to manage the situation. There was protests in the state; on the peaceful and the violent, we have stepped up our survellance and I can tell you we are on top of the game.”
“Similarly, we’ve been strategising with other security agencies and the synergy we have is hundred percent with other security agencies, and we’ve been doing show of force around the major places across the state, and our DPOs, and officers have been lectured and we are being guided with rules and regulations of INEC, as well as the constitution of this country as regards how to achieve credible elections.”
On his own, the coordinators of National Orientation Agency (NOA) in the state, Mr. Olukayode Ojedokun, called for calm amidst all the challenges faced by Nigerians.
“I have come to understand that each time we have challenges we overcome it, these challenges too we shall overcome it, we must come out and vote, because we believe in Nigeria concept and by being patience everything shall fall in places as we want it,” he said.
The meeting was well attended by members of various political parties, civil society organisations, representatives of religous groups, security agencies, members of Inter Party Advocacy Council (IPAC), among other stakeholders.
