ADO-EKITI – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday commended registered voters that had collected the permanent voter cards in Ekiti ahead of June 21 governorship election.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Halilu Pai, made the commendation while addressing journalists in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti.
Pai, who spoke through the commission’s Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Taiwo Gbadegesin, commended the electorate for their positive response in the collection of the cards.
The governorship election comes up on June 21 in the state.
Pai said the election would witness a large turnout of registered voters considering the improvement in those that had collected the permanent voter cards.
“The collection of voter’s cards has been encouraging; people are now trooping out on daily basis to collect their cards, which has reached about 66.5 per cent.
“By the end of this week, it will have reached 70 per cent which is a pass mark,’’ he said.
Pai had some weeks ago raised an alarm that 285, 574 permanent voter cards were not collected by the registered voters.
He noted then that this might cause apathy and low turn-out of voters during the election.
The REC, however, stressed that those without the Permanent Voter Cards would not be allowed to cast their votes during the June 21 election.
He said the electorate’s action had further strengthened the INEC’s believe that the governorship poll would be successful.
“We are still not relenting on our sensitisation of registered voters on the importance of them having the permanent voter cards .
“We are also collaborating with the political parties for an intensive voters’ education for the election to be a success.
“What we have gathered from our findings is that, some of those who have not collected their cards are those who registered in Ekiti in 2011 but have relocated to other states.”
Pai said that the commission would maintain neutrality during the election and ensure that all the political parties had a level playing ground.
INEC would make Ekiti election a reliable foundation for the 2015 general polls, he said. (NAN)
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