BY OLUMIDE ABUDU
The Chairman of the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC), Dr. Joseph Aremo has charged the Electoral Officers of the commission to focus on the mantra of the electoral body in the upcoming January 18th, 2025 local government elections in the state.
Dr Aremo gave the charge at a Capacity Building Workshop for Selected Key Electoral Officers across the 18 Local Government areas of the state at the Commission’s headquarters in Akure.
The workshop, with the theme Grassroots Governance and Electoral Integrity, was delivered by the Registrar of Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, Mr. Omololu Adegbenro.
The ODIEC Chairman, who noted that the electoral officers are the major key players of the electoral body during elections, urged them to ensure inclusivity and adopt best practices for the election.
While advising them to do the right thing in the forthcoming council election, Dr Aremo cautioned the officers again electoral malpractices.
The chairman while pointing out that vote-buying was a crime, and whoever commited such an unlawful act would be prosecuted assured the electorate to have confidence in the commission’s ability to conduct credible, free and fair polls.
Delivering his paper, the resource person and Registrar of Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Mr. Adegbenro, said grassroots governance is essential as it provides an avenue for citizens to influence policies and decisions that directly impact their lives, ensuring that local leaders are responsive to the needs of their communities.
He described electoral integrity as adherence to ethical standards, transparency, and fairness throughout the electoral process, which ensures that every eligible citizen can vote freely without fear of intimidation.
Mr Adegbenro called for the need to address electoral malpractices, including corruption, vote-buying, thuggery, violence, and lack of accountability, which have persisted for decades.
According to him, good governance at the grassroots level is essential for national development and for good governance to thrive, elections at the grassroots must be free and fair.
Electoral Officers from Ose and Irele Local Governments, Mr. Isaac Obiniran and Mr. Olu Ikugbaigbe, described their participation in the program as an eye-opener, which has enlightened them further about their constitutional roles in conducting credible elections.