Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
The Ekiti State Government has, ahead of the December 7, 2019, local government elections, assured voters in the state of transparency.
The government threatened to deal decisively with those it described as trouble makers to ensure that the election represents democracy at its very best.
Commissioner for Information, Aare Muyiwa Olumilua spoke, in Ado-Ekiti, on Monday, during a press conference heralding a sensitization programme on Local Government Election by National Orientation Agency (NOA) in conjunction with the Ekiti State government .
Olumilua said a committee which members were drawn from strategic sectors of the government has been set up to sensitise the people on the need to eschew violence during the poll.
The commissioner added that the utmost aim of the committee, is to ensure that Ekiti has a poll that allows candidates of the interested parties to have a free and fair contest under which the votes of the people can count.
“We must have election that is free and devoid of violence and those plotting to cause trouble will be dealt with.
READ ALSO: http://Lawan calls for more engagement between Nigerian, Egyptian Parliaments
“We are giving assurances that this election is going to be a clear departure from the past when the ruling party would have it all. We are saying that we will get free and fair election that reflects the wishes of the people.
“This disillusionment that because the ruling party is in charge and that it will surely carry the day is not there. I am not saying the ruling party if it is the acceptable and popular party won’t win or have an upper hand, but we are saying that it will be through free and fair process”.
The commissioner said the committee was set up to sensitise the people to prevent bloodshed during the election, saying, it was not intended to teleguide or usurp the responsible of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC).
“If anybody wins, the state has no problem about that, but I don’t think a local government election is worth the blood of any man.
“SIEC has its own responsibilities and we won’t dabble or interfere in that. All we want to do is to tell the people that no bloodshed and that election must be transparent”, he said.
The committee, which comprises mainly of civil servants, is to be chaired by Olumilua.
