The Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District, Ibikunle Amosun, on Wednesday, February 10, criticised the opponents of the ongoing registration and revalidation exercise of the All Progressives Congress.
According to Amosun, the exercise was “very necessary;” saying those opposing the exercise may also have ulterior motives.
The former Ogun State Governor participated in the exercise at his Itoko, Ward 6, Abeokuta South Local Government Area, in the company of his wife, Olufunsho, as well as the Nigerian Ambassador to the UK, Sarafa Isola.
He said, “On the registration, people have asked me: is this thing necessary? Yes. Like yesterday, if you have anything maybe yesterday; and you want to know where are we today; the best way of finding out is what we are doing… unless (people) who have any other ulterior motive.
“I am sure that all of us have seen that this thing is very necessary. Needless to say. Even me, the last time we did this, two of my children were not up to 18. Today, they are 18. They will have the opportunity to register. That’s even me. And everybody can say things like that.
“I know there is a lot of benefits and advantages we will get in doing this registration.”
Amosun also called for calm among his supporters who alleged in some areas of the state; that they were denied participation in the exercise.
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Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC declared in Abuja on Wednesday, February 10, that management of large crowds at many polling units remained a challenge at elections.
Its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the declaration at INEC’s first quarter meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) for this year.
Yakubu said that with only 119,973 Polling Units serving a voter population of more than 84 million; Nigeria faced an acute problem of voter access to polling units.
The INEC Chairman noted that it was more worrisome as the number of eligible voters would increase when fresh registration resumed.
“The management of large crowds at many polling units across the country has been challenging to commission officials and members of ICCES.
“This in some cases result in the late commencement of polls or the disruption of the sorting as well as counting of ballots at polling units.
“Such disruptions often have consequences on electoral outcomes; leading, in some instances, to avoidable supplementary elections.”
