Deborah Akinyosoye
Ahead of the Saturday, August 16, by-election in Ibadan North Federal Constituency, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Oyo State, will deploy 2,062 poll officials and 574 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines for the conduct of the poll.
The electoral commission also facilitated the signing of the Peace Accord by all the contestants for the seat at an event held at the Collaboration Centre of the Commission, Agodi, Ibadan.
Speaking at a press briefing held shortly after the official signing of the Peace Accord, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Oyo State, Dr Adeniran Rahmon Tella, disclosed that 512 polling units with 272,196 registered voters are expected to participate in the bye-election.
Tella noted that about 217,980 people have so far collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). The REC disclosed that the Commission has configured a total number of 526 BVAS machines with additional back-ups of 48 others for the upcoming election.
He disclosed that the election will be conducted across 12 registration areas/Wards and would affect border areas including Sango/Eleyele/Apete/Ijokodo, Beere/Oje/Odoye, Mokola Axis/Adamasingba Axis, UI/Agbowo/Agbowo Express and Gate/Basorun/Ashi.
HOWEVER, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, yesterday, sounded a note of warning that his administration would deal with any individual or group found planning to disrupt the forthcoming by-election in the Remo Federal Constituency this Saturday.
Abiodun made this known at the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign for the by-election held at Ogijo, Sagamu Local Council Area of the state.
He stated that the by-election is not a war but an exercise aimed at electing a replacement for the late Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga, who represented the Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in Abuja.
The governor said: “I have heard that some people are issuing threats; this is not a threat we will take lightly. Let me say this: anyone who troubles you on Saturday will be dealt with.”
MEANWHILE, the Labour Party Presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has thrown his weight behind Mrs Justina Azuka, widow of the late Justice Azuka, who was killed by kidnappers, in her bid to represent Onitsha North Constituency 1 in the Anambra State House of Assembly.
Obi, in a statement shared on his X-handle on Tuesday, described Azuka as “a woman of strength, resilience, and commitment to serve,” noting that she has stepped forward to complete the remaining 13 months of her late husband’s tenure despite the tragedy.
The young mother of three, aged seven, five, and three, is an HND graduate in Public Administration. Obi said her candidacy combines competence with humanity, reflecting the values a “new Nigeria” should stand for.
“I have always maintained that leadership without compassion is meaningless. True leadership must balance competence with humanity,” Obi said. “Supporting her is not only an investment in competent representation but also a collective act of solidarity that will help ease the burden of her loss.”