INEC concerned voters may shun Ekiti election
Olorunfemi Ojo
Independent National Electoral Commission has expressed fears that voters may shun the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Alhajji Halilu Pai, said over 285,794 permanent voter cards had yet to be collected with just five weeks to the election.
Pai, who spoke with journalists in Ado Ekiti through the Commission’s Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Taiwo Gbadegesin, therefore tasked political parties to increase their sensitization programmes to prevent the poll from being marred by low turnout of voters.
According to him, eligible voters without permanent voter cards will not be allowed to vote during the election.
Pai said, “The Commission has been trying its best to raise the bar of voters’ education in Ekiti. But we have to do more considering the new development.
“We have appeared on television, radio and distributed leaflets at various stakeholders’ forums on the need for the people to be in possession of their permanent cards.
“INEC is starting the use of permanent voter cards for the conduct of elections in Ekiti State and this underscores the importance of these permanent voter cards.
“So, the political parties must use the collection of voter cards as the kernel of their campaigns. They must sensitize the people about its significance for the election to be a success.”
