‘Synergy Among Stakeholders’ll Produce Successful Elections’

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Oyo State, Mr Mutiu Agboke, says desired electoral successes can be achieved with strong synergy among stakeholders.
He spoke yesterday in Ibadan while receiving a delegation from the Oyo State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) led by the new Commandant, Mr Iskilu Akinsanya.
“For us to now achieve the entire success together, INEC is not the only stakeholder.
“ We have all the security agencies, National Orientation Agency and media organisations,” Agboke said.
Agboke said that the stakeholders must come together in achieving all that INEC had designed with the laid down modalities.
“If INEC is looking for a way to give correct information to members of the public and the media is misinforming, are we on the same page?
“ The need for us to change the narrative is the reason why we are calling on all the stakeholders,” he said.
He decried the harassment, intimidation and arrest of INEC officials during the last general elections by security agencies, saying none of the security agencies had such right.
“NSCDC has no power to maltreat or punish any INEC official without recourse to the REC.
“ No security agency in Nigeria has any power to harass, intimidate or arrest any REC without recourse to our Chairman,”he said.
Agboke said that the commission lost one out of the 32 cases instituted against it at the election petition tribunals sitting in the state while others were disposed off.