Some politicians vying for election into Ondo State House of Assembly have urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to surpass its performance in the just-concluded Presidential and National Assembly Elections.
The Governorship and State Assembly Elections will be held on March 9.
The politicians commended the peaceful conduct of the just-concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections in the country and urged INEC to improve on this at the next election.
They spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Akure on Thursday.
Mr. Sunday Olajide, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate vying for re-election into Ondo State House of Assembly urged INEC to improve on its performance in the March 9 elections.
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Olajide, a member representing Akure Constituency II at the state House of Assembly, urged members of the ruling party to be magnanimous in victory.
“The election is free and fair. We can’t call it a total perfection but the results are acceptable to all.
“It is also a boost for our party, so that we can consolidate on the good works done so far,’’ he said.
Olajide urged the electorate to vote for APC candidates in the forthcoming Governorship and House of Assembly elections to help Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to deliver the dividends of democracy.
He also appealed to Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari to further address the challenges militating against the development of the country.
Mr. Ebenezer Adeniyan, a Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate vying for Akure South Constituency I seat at the Ondo State House of Assembly commended INEC.
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He scored the commission 70 per cent in the last Presidential and National Assembly Elections.
Adeniyan noted that the performance of INEC under the stewardship of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu was an improvement over the 2015 elections, given the fact that smart card readers were used to accredit voters in the state.
The SDP candidate also advised President Buhari to do more in the area of national unity through equitable distribution of appointments, regardless of the parts of the country that overwhelmingly voted for him.
He observed a change in the voting pattern of the electorate, saying that voters were no longer inclined toward voting for parties but laid emphasis on the competence of candidates and their campaign promises.
“My chances are very bright. The electorate now seems to be wiser.
“It was one way direction in 2015 but with the last election, it changed. People decided on candidates to vote for,’’ he said. (NAN)
