Oyo State is not ready for election -- INEC

...Stuffing, snatching of ballot boxes is over in Nigeria

THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Friday, revealed that the era of ballot stuffing, snatching and other related vices is over with the introduction of Biomodel Voters Accreditation System, BIVAS.

It said unlike the outdated Smart card Readers, BIVAS will capture both facial and finger prints, as well input the total figure of votes cast at various polling centres and transmit electronically to the Collation centres

Outgoing Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of Oyo state, Dr. Mutiu Agboke disclosed this in a lecture titled: 2023 General Elections: Stakeholders and INEC Preparation, Oyo State Perspective, as parts of activities marking the 83rd birthday anniversary of the Chairman and Founder of an Ibadan based Radio Station; Splash FM, High Chief Adebayo Akande and the 15th anniversary of the station, held at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, Ibadan.

On the readiness of Oyo state for the conduct of 2023 general elections, Agboke said with yet to collect over 700,000 Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, the residents seemed not to be ready.

He, therefore, called on Governor Seyi Makinde to declare public holiday for the registration and collection of PVCs.

In his address, the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan and Chairman of the occasion, Professor Femi Bamiro narrated his experience as Returning Officer and pressure being mounted by the political class to alter election figures.

Professor Bamiro, who commended the developmental strides of High Chief Akande for the choice of topic for the 2023 annual lecture series, especially with the coming 2023 general election, stressed the need for collaborative supports of the relevant stakeholders in ensuring hitch free elections.

Present at the event were High Chief Eddy Oyewole; Chief (Mrs.) Onikepo Akande, Basorun Kola Daisi; Professor Jide Owoeye; Mr. Raphael Akpan; Mr. Dapo Jamiu; Chief (Mrs.) Bola Doherty; Dr. Kola Mosuro; Alhaja Olatoun Akande; Mr. Bayo Akande, Jnr, Alhaji S.T. Adepoju and host of others.