The leadership of Interparty Advisory Council , ( IPAC ) , Oyo State Chapter , has expressed the readiness of political parties in the state to participate actively in electoral processes in the forth coming local government council elections with a view to achieving true democracy .
The council also promised to engage their members on the need to have trust and confidence in current OYSIEC members who are men and woman of integrity.
The Caretaker Chairman of the Council , Apostle Dare Ojo ,while delivering his address during the visit of IPAC to OYSIEC’s secretariat ,Agodi , Ibadan , called on the commission to create a platform for interaction among the eighteen political parties in due course for the success of the polls .
According to him, ” the visit of the council was to acquaint with members of the commission to complement their activities and also discuss the fear of their members about the conduct of local government council elections based on past experiences.
While commending the governor for the careful selection of OYSIEC members , Apostle Ojo appealed to the commission to do the right thing and embrace proper planning for people of the state to remember the team for good .
” We commend our amiable Governor , Eng. Seyi Makinde for the courage and leadership acumen to constitute OYSIEC at this time in order to plan,organize and conduct free,fair and credible local government council elections”
” As we all know that local government elections conducted in the past were full of undertones with a lot of question marks but we believe that this time , such experience will not come to play .
“Our advice for your team is to invite all the eighteen political parties in Oyo State as early as possible for political interaction, orientation and preparation towards the forth coming local government council elections”
In his remarks, the Chairman , Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission , ( OYSIEC) Aare Isiaka Abiola Olagunju enjoined the Council and its members to have trust and confidence in the current leadership of OYSIEC to conduct a free,fair and credible election. He assured them that no preference will be given to any political parties before during and after the Local government council election.
Olagunju ,who described political parties as partners in progress , noted that the commission will continually work in accordance with the law guiding the conduct of local government polls.
The chairman, maintained that the commission was committed to change the narratives of local government council elections through the conduct of free ,fair and credible election .
” Our plan is to visit all the political parties at their homes, that is , party secretariats , and we have started with APGA just last week. We have written to all the political parties and awaiting possible date for the engagement ”
” It gladdens my heart to know through your speech that we are both working towards achieving same goal , that is , ensuring free, fair , credible and transparent local government council elections
“We are going to play by the rules and also change the narratives of how local government council elections were been conducted .”
” We are appealing to the political parties to also play by the rules , start sanitizing your members on the need to have all inclusive polls in order to give the citizens of the state a right of choice, allow internal democracy to prevail and shun candidates imposition for the development of the state