THE Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Joash Amupitan, has assured residents of Ekiti State that every valid vote cast in the June 20 governorship election will count.
Amupitan gave the assurance on Wednesday in Ado Ekiti during a stakeholders’ meeting organised to assess preparations for the election and present the updated voters register to political parties.
The event was attended by representatives of the 13 political parties participating in the governorship race, civil society groups, members of the media and INEC officials.
Speaking at the programme, the INEC chairman warned politicians and voters against vote buying, describing the practice as a criminal offence that undermines the integrity of elections.
He stressed that security and anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and the police, must ensure offenders are arrested and prosecuted.
Amupitan disclosed that the updated register compiled after the recent continuous voter registration exercise contains 1,059,660 registered voters. He urged eligible residents of the state to come out peacefully and participate in the election.
Referencing the recently concluded governorship election in Anambra State, the INEC boss said the poll was peaceful, transparent and generally accepted, expressing confidence that the Ekiti election would meet similar standards.
According to him, the credibility of elections largely depends on the integrity of the voters register, which he described as the foundation of a free and fair electoral process.
He also called on political parties to mobilise voters responsibly and focus their campaigns on issues affecting the people rather than attacks based on personalities or ethnic sentiments.
Also speaking at the event, Sam Olumekun, the INEC National Commissioner supervising Lagos, Ekiti and Oyo states, said the presentation of the register reflected the commission’s commitment to transparency and inclusiveness.
He assured stakeholders that no eligible voter had been excluded from the register and confirmed that the list presented would be used for the June 20 governorship election.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti State, Bunmi Omoseyindemi, appealed to political parties, candidates and supporters to maintain peace before, during and after the election.
He noted that Ekiti had built a reputation for political maturity and democratic participation, urging all stakeholders to work together to sustain that image as the state prepares for one of the most anticipated governorship elections in the South-West this year.
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