The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has distributed 67 percent Permanent Voters Card (PVC) to registered voters in Osun State ahead of the September 22nd gubernatorial election in the state.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Olusegun Agbaje disclosed this in a chat with Daily Trust on the sideline of a training organised for INEC officials that would participate in the election.
The training was organised by the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) for key officials of INEC including the Heads of Department (HODs) Electoral Officers (EOs) and Assistants Electoral Officers (AEOs) drawn from all the local government areas of the state and INEC state office in Osogbo, the state capital.
Agbaje said the PVC of the remaining 33 percent of the voters was yet to be collected and urged those who registered and have not collected PVC to come for it so as to be able to vote during the election next month.
He said the commission is fully prepared for the election and that 14,000 officials are ready to participate in the election.
The REC said 50 percent of the ad-hoc officials for the election was drawn from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) while the Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU) Ile-Ife and the Federal Polytechnic, Ede also provide students for the election duty.
Agbaje explained that the training was aimed at building the capacity of the staff to perform their duties in line with best practices, particularly by ensuring operational synergy and bridge gaps.
He said “In the past, there have been instances where officials would be working at cross-purposes without realising that they were actually meant to synergise to achieve the result. That is what this training was meant to address so that the officials at all levels would work together to conduct free, fair and transparent election.”
In his remarks, the ECES Project Coordinator, Mr. Rudolf Elbling said the centre is proud to support the commission to ensure free, fair and smooth conduct of the Osun State Governorship Election.
According to him, “The EMSC seeks to integrate the Election Project Plan (EPP) and the Election Management System (EMS) in order to provide for effective implementation and monitoring of the 2019 elections as well as off cycle governorship elections.
“Specifically, the Osun State EMSC Implementers workshop has been put together to familiarize functionaries of the Commission in the state with the structure and operational frameworks of the EMSC ahead of the governorship election slated for 22nd September 2018.”
