Oyo REC warns against unnecessary inconclusive polls’ declaration

‘42 candidates for guber election in Enugu State’
The Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mutiu Agboke, has warned electoral officers against unnecessary declaration of inconclusive elections in Saturday’s polls, saying that if any of them orchestrates inclusive election, he will conclude it at the commission’s headquarters.

Agboke gave the warning yesterday during the election stakeholders’ meeting at the commission’s state office in Agodi, Ibadan.He urged them to follow the commission’s regulation on the declaration of inclusive election.

The REC also disclosed that sensitive materials had arrived at the Central Bank of Nigeria Ibadan Branch and smart card readers had been configured. He said ballot papers and result sheets would be distributed to local councils tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the INEC in Enugu State has said that 42 gubernatorial and over 310 House of Assembly contestants will contest Saturday’s elections in the state.It dispelled rumours that the APC did not submit names of its governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the elections owing to court order.

Also, the commission stated that Senator Ayogu Eze is the candidate of the APC for the governorship election, explaining that “we have not changed the name and there is no directive to do so for now.”INEC’s REC in the state, Dr. Emeka Ononamadu, while briefing reporters on preparation for the election, said that the commission was ready with the polls.

He stated that materials needed for the exercise had been received and that their distribution had commenced. Ononamadu, who stated that late arrival of materials and failure of card readers were major handicap experienced during the last elections, said the commission had recorded 100 per cent completion of smart card reader configuration and now ready for deployment.“We have equally distributed all the outstanding materials and funds for activation of the 260 registration centres in the 17 local councils of Enugu State,” he said.