All is set for the Ekiti State governorship election which holds tomorrow as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahood Yakubu has appealed to staff of the commission to be neutral and abide by the code of conduct signed by them.
In a special appeal, he said, “I appeal to you to uphold our Code of Conduct, display your usual sense of responsibility and professionalism; remain above board and firmly resist any unethical behaviour.”
He further charged them to ensure that no political party or candidate was accorded any advantage over the other.
“We must also always stick strictly to the oath of neutrality to which we have all subscribed and continually live up to the trust that Nigerians repose in us.”
He said since June 2021 when the Commission released the timetable and schedule of activities for the Ekiti Governorship Election, INEC has collectively implemented several activities and taken every step to guarantee a free, fair. credible, and inclusive process this tomorrow.
According to Yakubu, “This election is coming seven months after the successful conduct of the Anambra State governorship election in November 2021, but it will be historic because it will be the first governorship election to be conducted based on the provisions of the new Electoral Act2022.”
He reminded the staff that at the stakeholders’ meeting held last Tuesday, he had assured the political parties, their standard bearers and the good people of Ekiti State that the choice of who becomes the next governor of the state was entirely in the hands of the voters
Accordingly, he said, “I said so confidently because I strongly believe in the commitment. efficiency and determination of all of you our dedicated staff to ensure a level playing field on election day which is just 48 hours away.
“Let us remember that the people of Ekiti State and indeed all Nigerians will be watching us closely and waiting to see if we will fulfill our promise.
“They will observe the opening time of each of the 2,445 polling units in the state, the conduct of our staff, how you attend to voters and your attitude towards persons with disability,” he explained.
He, therefore, thanked the staff for their expected cooperation and good conduct during the election, saying to them: “Thank you for all your efforts.”
However, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Johnson Kokumo has disclosed that the state would be properly secured to avoid any break down of law and order during the poll.
He also revealed that a total of 17,000 personnel had been deployed for the poll.
Kokumo said the security operatives deployed for the Ekiti poll were meant to secure the state and not for any form of intimidation if citizens. He said they would secure lives and the rule of law.
The DIG added that soldiers would be at the borders of the communities to prevent any form of intruders to secure every corners of the state.
According to him, all security operatives with VIPs should be withdrawn and returned to base for the purpose of the election. The DIG called on the people to be law abiding and to respect all the processes of the elections to be able to have a peaceful governorship election in the state.
Also yesterday which was the last day for campaigns, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate for the 2023 polls, Dr. Adewole Adebayo, described the governorship candidate of the party in Ekiti State, Segun Oni as representing a revolution that would change the economic and social facets of the state if re-elected.
The legal luminary stated that Oni had proved his mettle as a truthful, honest and competent governor during his reign, saying the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had debased Ekiti through alleged massive looting and should be rejected on Saturday.
He said all manner of government had come after Oni’s government was terminated in 2010, but described the SDP candidate as different and enigmatic in the delivery of democracy dividends to the people.
Adebayo and other top leaders of the party, including its National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Garba, said these in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, during the SDP mega rally to mobilise support for Oni.
Adebayo said: ” We must change this APC by voting them out in 2022 and in the 2023 general elections. They have nothing to offer. They are bundle of liars and looters. Nigeria has failed under them.
“By next year, we must have a rethink in this country. With Oni as a governor, pension and salary will be paid as and when due. Oni is a man of character, competence and honesty.
“Don’t vote for you to cook soup, but vote and become prosperous. In 1993 when MKO Abiola was campaigning for President, where the old Ondo State stood was where the whole country stood. The SDP had made history as the first party to win a free, fair and credible.
“If you vote for Oni, he will beautify Ekiti and take Ekiti to the centre of development. Your PVC is your power, use it to get rid of APC and PDP. Your money is not in the Central Bank of Nigeria, but in the pockets of both the APC and PDP. But they have stolen everything. Though, they have not stolen your power to send them packing.”
Former Minister of Youth, Solomon Dalung, in his submission, said the Ekiti election would pioneer the reclamation of Nigeria from those he described as locusts and pillagers.
“APC is very desperate about this election, but their desperation will go us victory. Let us be vigilant, being vigilant means you won’t allow them to steal our votes. Mobilise en masse and stamp out bad government from Ekiti,” he added.
Addressing the crowd, Oni promised to banish poverty by paying workers’ pension, gratuity, deductions, saying his presence in the race has become a threat to APC.
The former governor alleged that the APC was so enraged to the point of spewing lies around that he had withdrawn from the race and by preventing many of their leaders from entering Ekiti to campaign for him.
“You all know that I have the capacity to banish poverty, unemployment, kidnapping by deploying relevant technology and expertise to fight crime and economic deprivation,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO) Campaign Organisation has dismissed a rumour being peddled in the state that the primary won by the APC candidate in Ekiti State had been nullified by a court.
The campaign organisation said the APC standard bearer, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, remains in the race and would win the Saturday’s governorship election with a landslide victory.
A statement yesterday signed by the Director of Media and Publicity of the BAO Campaign Organisation, Taiwo Olatunbosun, described the rumour as, “a figment of infantile imagination,” of its peddlers urging all eligible voters to go to the polls to vote for the APC flag bearer.
The campaign organisation which further described the rumour as, “a concoction from the desperate camp of jittery opposition in the state,” said the purported nullification only exists in the misguides imagination of those peddling it whom it said are already sensing a crushing defeat from the APC candidate on Saturday.
Appeal Court Sets up Tribunal for Ekiti Election
In a related development, the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Bolna’an Dongban-Mensem has set up the Ekiti State governorship election tribunal to hear and determine petitions that may arise in the governorship election slated for Saturday.
A statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti yesterday by the Secretary of the tribunal, Umar Abubakar, stated that Justice Dongban-Mensem took the action in pursuant to section 285(ii) and (iii) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) and section 130 of the Electoral act, 2022.
The statement read: “In pursuant to the powers conferred on the Hon. President, Court of Appeal, under section 285(2) & (3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and section 130 of the Electoral Act, 2022, Honourable Justice Monica Bolna’an Dongban-Mensem (HPCA) has constituted the Governorship Election Tribunal, to hear and determine petition(s) that may arise from the forthcoming 2022 Governorship Election for Ekiti State scheduled to be conducted on Saturday, 18th day of June, 2022.”
To this end, the statement noted that the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Adeleye Adeyeye made provisions for the use of the Ekiti State High Court of Justice Complex, Pajuyi Park, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State as the venue of the Tribunal and its Registry/Secretariat at the said address.
“All concerned individuals are admonished to contact the Secretary of the Tribunal, at the said address,” it added.