The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) has implored the traditional rulers in Oke Ogun area of Oyo state to enjoin their subjects to shun vote buying during 2010 general elections.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC), Mr Mutiu Agboke, made the appeal at an enlarged stakeholders’ forum at Iseyin on Wednesday.
He said selling or buying of votes was inimical to democratic governance, adding that selling one’s vote for a token amounted to mortgaging good governance or selling one’s future or mortgaging
He urged the leaders in the 10 local government areas in Oke-Ogun zone to sensitise their people the area to the need to resist temptations from unscrupulous politicians bent on buying their votes.
“ Your vote is your right to elect credible leaders that can serve your interest and bring development to your area,” he stated.
The REC further urged registered voters to endeavour to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to be able to perform their civic responsibilities during the 2019 general elections.
According to him, 657,790 PVCs are not yet collected by registered voters in the state, adding that Oyo State is the second state with the largest number of abandoned PVCs.
“Out of this number, Oke-Ogun zone has 107,068 PVCs yet to be collected and the number spread across the 10 local government areas zone,” he stated.
Agboke also said that the commission had registered 538,704 new voters during the just concluded Continuous Voters Registration(CVR).
He, however,warned that double/multiple registrations would attract sanction from the commission, saying culprits might lose the chance to participate in the general elections.
Mr Yekeen Abolade, the Chairman of Iseyin Local Government, who spoke on behalf of the other council chairmen in the zone, expressed willingness to sensitise residents of the area against vote buying or selling.
Abolade also assured INEC of their readiness to collaborate with the commission to ensure that owners of the unclaimed PVCs eventually go to collect them.
He urged the commission to sustain its neutrality as an electoral umpire.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oke-Ogun zone comprises Kajola, Iseyin, Kishi, Iwere-ile, Saki West, Saki East, Atisbo, Orelope, Olorunsogo and Itesiwaju local government areas.