The Chairman , Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission OYSIEC,Aare Isiaka Abiola Olagunju , SAN, has revealed that the commission would continually dialogue with political parties in the state and other stakeholders for the purpose of achieving an all inclusive local government council elections .
The commission chairman , also hinted that plans are underway for new innovations to harness situation reports from various polling units on elections day towards making the process credible and transparent .
Olagunju , who made this known while featuring on a Fresh FM Ibadan Situation Room, anchored by popular broadcast journalist, Mayor Isaac Brown, said the challenge before his team is not about fixing a date for the elections, but lack of trust in the commission , which according to him has led to voter’s apathy during previous elections .
He maintained that the perceptions of the populace on OYSIEC based on past experiences, is fading gradually , following the ongoing trust and confidence building campaign of the commission to various stakeholders in the state.
Olagunju , who emphasised the need for adequate preparations for an hitch free elections, said concerted efforts would be made to ensure the election is truly competitive .
” Picking a date for election is not a challenge but voter’s apathy . We are glad that people have started having a change of mind in this regard based on visit to various stakeholders in the state”
” History has it that some people have conducted local government council elections in the state where opposition parties emerged victorious in the election , and this I want the populace to believe is very much possible to repeat itself”
” In fairness , no interverence of any kind , we are independent in terms of operation . We are getting necessary support from the government and I can tell you that elections will hold very soon ”
” We are not relenting in the areas of public awareness and sensitization to achieve all inclusive elections . I want to appeal to the people of the state to have that trust and confidence in Olagunju led OYSIEC team that elections to be conducted would be truly competitive , free, fair and transparent .
