Over Two Million PVCs Collected Out Of 3.2 Million Eligible Voters Registered In Oyo – REC
By Admin
Oyo REC has expressed his readiness for the forthcoming general elections.
Naijanewshub.com.ng reports that Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Dr. Rahmon Adeniran Tella has confirmed that out of 3,276.675 eligible registered voters in Oyo State, the total number of 2,325,372 PVCs collected so far.
Dr. Tella while speaking during the enlarged stakeholders meeting held at Alice Hall Ibadan on Monday maintained that the total number of old PVCs collected was 2,088,558, while the total number of collected new/fresh registration PVCs was 236,814.
Tella noted that the total PVCs so far collected including both old and new/fresh registration was 2,325,372.
He said, “As I speak to you now, we have a total number of 3,276.675 eligible registered voters in Oyo State.”
While speaking on how favourable the security situation in the state ahead the forthcoming elections, Dr. Tella said that the Commission in collaboration with the Nigeria Police organized a Peace Accord among all the 18 Political Parties’ Governorship candidates across the length and breadth of the State early in the year. We all know that meaningful development cannot take place in an environment devoid of peace.”
“It is therefore my pleasure to let you know that all candidates have promised to let peace reign as we prepare for the forthcoming elections in the State.” Tella said.
While speaking about recruitment and training of Election Personnel, Tella said, “We have in the last few months been saddled with the process of online recruitment and training of both ad-hoc and Staff members ahead of the Polls.
“Series of training have been ongoing, while some have been concluded accordingly. The likes of training of Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) on Polls Management and BVAS operations, the training of Presiding/Assistant Presiding Officers POs/APOs, Electoral Security training for Security Personnel and such like.”
‘However, training for Registration Area Technicians (RATECH) and Collation Officers will soon begin as well.”
In his update about the political parties Dr. Tella said, ” no fewer than 18 registered political parties in the state namely: Accord Party (AP), Action Alliance (AA), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressive Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Parties (NNPP), National Rescue Movement (NRM) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressive Party (YPP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Boot Party (BP) respectively are going to participate in the forthcoming elections.
He said, “out of the 38 petition cases received during the conduct of party primaries in the state, 36 cases were won, the court ordered for one fresh primary which has been concluded while we have one still pending at the Appeal Court accordingly.”
“It is no longer news that campaign activities for the Presidential and National Assembly Elections commenced from Wednesday, 28th September 2022 and it is expected to come to an end at midnight of Thursday, 23rd Feb. 2023. Likewise, that of the Governorship and House of Assembly Elections campaign activities began from Oct. 12th 2022 and will come to an end at midnight of Thursday 9th March 2023 respectively.”
“I therefore implore political parties and candidates to keep to the rules and regulations of campaign activities just as we draw nearer to the Election Day.” Tella said.
In his remarks, the state commissioner of Police, CP. Adebowale Williams who was baly represented at the meeting by
ACP Ekenem Oseni said, we don’t have or recorded any negative incidence during the presidential campaign in the state, though there is issue of fuel scarcity and we’ve been able to manage the situation, there was protests in the state, the peaceful and the violence one and we have step up our survellance and I can tell you we are on top of the game.”
“In terms of elections we’ve been strategizing with other security agencies and the synergy we have is hundred percent with other security agencies, and we’ve been doing show of force around the major cities across the state, and the our DPOs, and officers have been lectured and we are being guided with rules and regulations of INEC, as well as the constitution of this country as regards how to achieve credible elections.
The state National Orientation Agency (NOA) state coordinator, Mr. Olukayode Ojedokun called for calm amidst all the challenges faced by Nigerians.
He said, “I have come to understand that each time we have challenges we overcome it, these challenges too we shall overcome it, we must come out and vote, because we believe in Nigeria concept and by being patience everything shall fall in places as we want it.”
The meeting was well attended by members of various political parties, civil society organisations, representatives of religion groups, security agencies, members of Inter Party Advocacy Council (IPAC) among other stakeholders.