Ekiti Gov Election: Group Accuses INEC Of Selective Voters Registration

By Ayodele Oni

A group loyal to the Governorship candidate of Social Democratic Party, (SDP) Segun Oni in the June 18 election in Ekiti state, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) of selective registration of some people perceived to be loyal to the candidate of All Progressive Congress, (APC), Biodun Oyebanji in the ongoing voters registration exercise.

The Group, also, accused the APC of importing people from neighbouring states and get them registered as voters in the state.

All these, according to  Ekiti Bring Back Better, (EBBB), amount to compromising the  standard in the ongoing registration for Permanent Voter Cards(PVCs) in Ekiti.

EBBB warned INEC staff against compromising the integrity of the commission, by engaging in what it called “selective registration.”

Spokesman of the Group, Idowu Adelusi, averred that it would be counter-productive for INEC to be capturing supporters of a particular candidate at the expense of others, saying such rumour was rife and it has to be guarded against to infuse sanity and save the commission’s image from being tainted.

Adelusi said on Friday that the group found the rumour that only perceived supporters of a candidate were being registered by INEC in the last minute voters’ capturing so rattling and disturbing.

The EBBB spokesman urged INEC to be vigilant and look out for cases of double registration.

Adelusi said all eligible voters in Ekiti must be registered in the last minute rush by INEC , regardless of their political beliefs and leanings.

He pointed out that voters registration is a strategic and pivotal aspect of election process that guarantees participatory democracy, wipes out apathy and boosts universal suffrage of citizens within any democratic system that should be prosecuted with utmost honesty and sincerity.

Adelusi warned that nothing should be done by the commission or those he described as “desperate politicians”  to sabotage the process and abridge the rights of citizens to vote during elections.

“The EBBB as a political pressure group is not by this statement casting aspersion or impugning on the integrity of the electoral commission.

“We have implicit confidence in the leadership of Prof Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC to give us the best election in June 18 in Ekiti State, nothing short of this is acceptable.

“But we are abashed and ditto alarmed that politicians could be plotting to take over the primary and statutory function of INEC, by allegedly sieving voters and determining who should be registered and those not to be registered.

“Though we are not oblivious of the fact that voters mobilisation is part of the duties of parties, but this should not dovetail to parties taking over the functions of INEC, by dictating who to be registered or rejected.

“We owe that belief that INEC will rise above pedestrianism in the coming election, by allowing the votes of Ekiti people to count, because its verdicts is necessary to validate who occupies the governorship seat. This is the statutory duty and no one should strip them of this power.

“We call on INEC chairman and Ekiti Resident Electoral Commissioner , Dr Adeniran Tella, to be watchful and warn their staff against serving as fifth columnists, or act in any shady manner that can smear their images, or put them to ridicule in this impending poll.”

Investigation revealed that the candidate of APC, Oyebanji, has been touring various registration centres in the state capital in what is termed mobilization of eligible voters to come out to register.