Edo 2024: Opportunity to promote genuine democracy, Ajayi tells INEC, security agencies
By Dayo Johnson, Akure
Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in Ondo state, Chief Agboola Ajayi, has asked the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, to use the Edo governorship election to register itself as a promoter of democratic values.
Ajayi who said this in Akure, the state capital implored the electoral body to reanimate electorate’s trust in the electoral body, by conducting a credible election on Saturday.
Speaking with newsmen on the need for transparency and fairness in handling both the Edo and Ondo state’s off -cycle elections, Ajayi, insisted on a “credible election to revive the trust of voters in our electoral activities” .
The former deputy governor said ” the INEC has a great assignment on its hands tomorrow. The assignment is to ensure that the Edo election is fair and transparent enough to avoid any kind of litigation.
“No doubt, INEC will be the most beneficiary of a credible election in Edo, because the electoral body has a point to prove” the gubernatorial candidate posited.
” In the recent past elections, the number of people who came out to vote reduced drastically and this is because of lack of trust in the system but INEC can help in this regard.
” Our people needed to be assured that their votes count. They needed the assurance that when they que in the sun and in the rain to vote, BIVAS will not suddenly become irrelevant and figures will not just be written instead , they will be transparently counted while ballot box snatching will not suddenly become a norm”
“We need credible elections to move our democracy from it’s nascent state to maturity” Ajayi opined that, the Edo and Ondo states elections are very important and good opportunities for INEC to demonstrate it’s not partial and not working for the ruling government as many are insinuating.
” I want to plead with every interests partaking in tomorrow ‘s exercise including the voters, to be law abiding, peaceful and orderly, so that INEC can do its job the way it should be done without excuses
” I also want to implore the Inspector General of Police, to ensure that his men perform their role creditably well and in tandem with international standard practice.
“Other security agencies should also work in accordance with the laws that establish them during the election and for our democracy to thrive”
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