Candidates in the August 16, Ibadan North Federal Constituency by-election in Oyo State, on Wednesday, signed an agreement to ensure a peaceful, free, fair and transparent election.
The agreement was signed at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, State Headquarters in Ibadan, and witnessed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in Oyo State, Dr Adeniran Tella and the Commissioner of Police, Mr Femi Aruna.
Other stakeholders in attendance were representatives of the Nigeria Army, National Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, Department of State Security, DSS, NDLEA and NOA.
In his remarks, Tella said the essence of the peace accord was to foster a conducive environment for voters to exercise their rights, “ultimately contributing to the legitimacy and credibility of the electoral process”.
He said that INEC had constant engagements with the members of Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES, which has the Commissioner of Police in the state as the lead security agency, on the peace accord.
The REC said candidates from five political parties contesting in the by- election signed the peace accord.
The candidates are Akin Alamu – African Democratic Party (ADC); Haastrup Olatunji – All Progressive Congress (APC); Olabisi Odususi – All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA); Sunday Oyekunle – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Hammed Badmus – Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
He urged the five political parties and their candidates to adhere to the peace accord signed, admonishing that there shouldn’t be any form of voters’ intimidation on election day.
Tella also said that non- sensitive materials for the forthcoming by-election have been received and deployed to the concerned local government area.
He said the by-election would be held in 512 polling units with 272,196 registered voters expected to participate in the exercise.
The REC added that the commission had configured a total of 526 Bimodal Verification Accreditation System, BVAS, machines with additional 48 back-up BVAS machines for the by-election.
He emphasised that technology would be deployed through the use of BVAS machines “and INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) for uploading of results on election day.”
The candidates of the APC and PDP, Olatunji and Oyekunle respectively pledged to abide by the peace accord.
Olatunji commended INEC and security agencies for their preparations towards ensuring peaceful conduct of the Aug 16 election.
Oyekunle urged INEC to conduct free, fair and transparent by-election.
