The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Oyo State Barr. Mutiu Agboke, has made it known that the commission is not in any form in shortage of both the insensitive and sensitive materials that is required for the successful conduct of both presidential and national assembly polls slated for Saturday, February 23.
Agboke made this call on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ meeting that was held at the commission headquarter In Ibadan.
Agboke said “we have all the materials we need intact, we will commence the distributions of those elections materials to their various destinations of use starting from eleven in the morning by Wednesday and we have been guaranteed by the security personnel that they will give us maximum support on this cause. We are expecting the political parties to give us maximum support by sending one person from their party to come and witness, as well as to monitor those materials to their destinations.
“We do not have any shortfall in materials, we have more than enough as Abuja office has sent us more materials, so right now, we have received 7, 336 functional and enhanced card readers as to our previous requested number of 6, 390.
“Equally we have recruited and trained 351 registration area technicians one per one ward so they can attend to any issues or faults that smart card may develop in the field.”
Barr. Agboke also made it known that the commission has already recruited and trained over 28,000 personnel for the Presidential and national assembly elections.
“These election personnel were sourced from the youth corp members, penultimate level students of Federal tertiary institutions, and ex corp members will be manning the whole 4,783 units and 1,607 voting points making the total of 6,390 voting stands we have in the state.”
Speaking on the logistics and time of election Barr. Mutiu said “arrangements have been made with transport owners for the supply of hundreds of vehicles and motorcycles to be used in conveying election materials and personnel to and fro the polling units.
“Let me also say that the polls open at eight in the morning and closes at 2pm while only those on voting queues as at 2pm will be allowed to cast their votes and the results of election at the polling units and collated votes at all collation centers will be posted at respective venues,” Agboke explained.
The synopsis on preparation for the rescheduled presidential and national elections was well attended by different political parties’ representatives in the State including the Oyo State Police Commissioner, CP Shina Olukolu, Major Ibisoye Moore Briggs representing Major General Azinta of Div 2 command, Oyo State Director of National Youth Corps, Abekemo Kikelomo, Oyo State Director of DSS, State Director of National Orientation Agency and others.
Packaged by Ojo Peter
