The Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) has been commended by different stakeholders for conducting a free, fair and credible elections at the local government councils in the State.
The election which held in all the 16 Local Government Councils and 19 Local Council Developing Areas (LCDAs) was devoid of rancour and violence with men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigerian Police deployed to man strategic locations.
Speaking to Journalists in separate interviews after casting their votes, the Secretary to Ekiti State Government, Hon Biodun Oyebanji and Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon Biodiun Omoleye, described the exercise as orderly, peaceful, free, and fair, adding that it was a testimony to Ekiti SIEC’s proper preparation towards the elections.
Oyebanji who spoke shortly at his polling unit in Ikogosi, commended the various political parties that participated in the election for demonstrating sportsmanship and allowing the people to vote for the party of their choice without any form of threat, financial inducement or manipulation.
The SSG commended the people of the State for shunning voting apathy and coming out in their large numbers to exercise their voting right.
Also speaking Hon Omoleye who cast his vote at unit 13, Temidire Ward 1 in Ijurin Ekiti, said the electoral umpire had demonstrated the level of their preparation, by deploring electoral materials to polling unit early and by starting the election at the slated time.
Hon Omoleye commended the people of the State, security agencies, political parties, civil society organisations, the media and traditional institutions for supporting SIEC in ensuring that the exercise went smoothly without any rancor or violence in the state.
He said there were no complaint of delay in the arrival of electoral materials, electoral officers and other logistics, adding that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should borrow a leaf from SIEC on how to successfully conduct elections.
Expressing satisfaction in the turnout of people for the exercise, Hon Omoleye noted that their participation in the election was an indication of their readiness to embrace governance at the grassroots.
“I think this is the beauty of democracy, I have gone round more than 14 LG today and in all the places that I visited it has been peaceful, transparent and calm, there is no report of any incident at all and now at Ijurin, you can see that the place is also calm and peaceful.
“This is what we are talking about when it comes to showing concern for the people at the local level, it is well organized, I want to appreciate the officials of the SIEC for the good job they did today, there were no complaints of late arrivals all the logistics and personnel were on time at every of the polling station, I am happy that If this continues, it will deepen our democracy in this country, and I hope that even INEC has a lot to copy from SIEC”
Six out of the ten functional political parties in Ekiti State participated in the election namely; Action Alliance (AA), African Democratic Congress (ADC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Redemption Movement (PRM), and Young Progressives Party (YPP)