Pressure won’t make me compromise polls, says Oyo State REC

• Don urges religious leaders tom pray for successful exercise
• One feared killed, many injured in APC, PDP clash

The Oyo State Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reiterated its commitment to conduct free, fair and credible polls.Speaking at a media briefing in Ibadan yesterday, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mutiu Agboke, insisted that no amount of pressure would make him compromise the outcome of the elections.

He, however, disclosed that he had not been under any pressure to sell Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) contrary to a media report, which insinuated that politicians approached him to sell PVCs to them.He maintained that he would never sell uncollected PVCs, saying all uncollected cards would be retrieved from local governments and kept in custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).Agboke revealed that 2,116,229 PVCs have so far been collected, 846, 417 PVCs left uncollected, while the total number of registered voters in the state hit 2,943,107.

According to him, the use of PVCs and Smart Card Readers remain the game changer, the commission has a total of 7,336 SCRs available of which 6,390 SCRs will be required for 6,390 polling units in the state.He also disclosed that 42 candidates and political parties are expected to participate in the governorship election.

However, Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam, Shafaudeen In Islam Worldwide, Professor Sabit Olagoke has urged religious leaders in the country to pray for peace and security of lives and property ahead of the 2019 general elections.He stated this at the group’s Annual International Convention (Ishrat 2019) in Ibadan, stressing that it was important for religious leaders to pray ahead of the election to avert crisis before, during and after the exercise.

Meanwhile, argument between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ibadan over the cause of violence resulted in the killing of one person, while several others were injured.

An APC chieftain, Salau Salimon Alade was shot dead at Omi Adio shortly after Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s campaign train left the area, while immediate past Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, Professor Joseph Adeniyi Olowofela, narrowly escaped death when hoodlums attacked his residence and vandalised about six vehicles.Many people who sustained injury at Olowofela’s residence are said to be receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital in Ibadan.