OYO LG POLL: EGUNBANBI FAULT OYSIEC ON BVAS, URGES MAKINDE  TO ASSURE OF CREDIBLE ELECTION.

The Chairmanship candidate of the All Progressives Congress for Ibarapa Central Local Government in the forthcoming Local Government election in Oyo State, Alhaji Hon. Waliu Egunbambi has passed vote of no confidence on the umpire responsible for the conduct of local government election in the state, Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) in the forthcoming Local Government election slated for April 27, 2024.

In his interview with Asako news, the young businessman and politician faulted the unreadiness of OYSIEC to guarantee the usage of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for the forthcoming poll.

According to Hon Egunbambi:

“This is the more reason why we have been very careful in relaying resources towards the electioneering process.

“I think there is a foul play on the part of OYSIEC. Right before now, the body ought to have exhibited profound effort in getting INEC for the use of Bivas if truly they intend to conduct a credible, free and fair Local government elections.

“I will personally doubt the credibility of OYSIEC in conducting a generally commendable election without the use of bivas especially at a time in our political space where local government elections are widely perceived to be stage-managed by incumbent Governors.

“I will pen down now while urging the Executive governor of Oyo State Engr Oluwaseyi Makinde FNSE to give a press release on assurances of a credible poll while awaiting posterity to judge him.”

It will be recalled in a recent report credited to All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state threatened to withdraw all its candidates from the forthcoming local government council election if the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) failed to guarantee the usage of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System ( BVAS) for the poll.

According to the Party’s Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC expressed concerns over what it described as “game of deceit being played by OYSIEC over the need to deploy BVAS machines for the April and also show the whole world that it was not out to do the bidding of the ruling PDP as it happened the last time when candidates of other parties were denied their earned victory particularly in Ido and Ibarapa East local government councils.

“We have watched with dismay the lip service being paid, by OYSIEC, to the issue of BVAS required for the smooth conduct of the poll. The Commission is apparently under pressure to jettison the usage of BVAS because the ruling PDP is averse to it even as the powers-that-be in the state are prepared to compromise the April poll in Oyo State.

In a swift reaction to this, OYSIEC maintained that most of the registered political parties in the country have indicated their readiness to participate in the election slated for April 27 with OYSIEC assuring the public that it would be fair in its conduct against the background of insinuation that the electoral body was set up to do the bidding of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).