2023 – Oyo REC faults calls for interim govt, urges Nigerians to be optimistic

From Ogundele Olanrewaju

Dr Mutiu Agboke, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Oyo State, has faulted calls for the formation of interim government instead of 2023 election, saying that election remains only legitimate way to change government in Nigeria.

Agboke stated this on Wednesday at a welcome programme held in Ibadan, in honour of the new Administrative Secretary of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Oyo State, Alhaji Tajudeen Amosun.

Amosun, hitherto had been the Head of Operations in the Commission’s state headquarters in Ibadan, before he became a director and eventually an Administrative Secretary.

The REC urged Nigerians to be optimistic about the nation’s electoral processes, saying anything less would be illegitimate.

He called on eligible Nigerians who are yet to register for permanent voter cards (PVCs) to take the advantage of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) to register.

He also implored those who have registered but yet to collect their PVCs to ensure that they collect them in preparation for the forthcoming general elections.

Agboke charged the new Administrative Secretary to show professionalism in discharging his duties.

According to him, Amosun is an experienced officer who has being in the job for long.

“So it is just for him to step up all that he knows, stepping it up to be in tandem with current reality of election management.

“Election management of today is a thing of transparency and public advocacy,” he said.

The REC further charged the new Administrative Secretary to know how to manage election stakeholders, especially political parties and shouldn’t allow his name to be dragged in the mud.

“Be controller of your office and do not allow familiarity to diminish the office of the Administrative Secretary,” he admonished.

Agboke used the occasion to restated the commitment of the Commission’s chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, towards conduct of credible and transparent general elections in 2023.

He warned the Commission’s staff not to compromise the electoral processes, saying that erring staff would face the consequence.