Poll
By David Adeoye
Ibadan, May 12, 2018 (NAN) Mr Cosmos Oni, the Public Relations Officer of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission(OYSIEC), says the commission is not to blame for the low turnout recorded in Saturday’s local government election.
He told newsmen in Ibadan that the responsibility of mobilising voters to participate in the election was that of the participating political parties and not the commission.
According to him, the main duty of the commission is to conduct free, fair and credible election under a peaceful atmosphere.
”This is what we have achieved today as reports across the 33 local government areas and 35 LCDAs showed that the election was free and fair.
” There was no report of ballot snatching, violence or absence of electoral officers in any polling booth as all went on smoothly as planned.
”The low turnout as being alleged is not the fault of the commission; political parties ought to sensitise and mobilise their members on the need to come out and vote, ” Oni said.
He also refuted reports that some staff of the commission were present in some polling booths without voting materials.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that voter apathy had characterised the local government election across the state with many polling centres deserted.
NAN also reports that only the agents of the ruling All Progressives Party(APC) were seen in many of the polling booths visited although presiding officers claimed that 12 parties were contesting in the election.
There was, however, a heavy presence of security operatives in polling booths visited and on major streets across the three senatorial districts. (NAN)
DAK/OJO
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(Edited by Mufutau Ojo)