• Stop asking Buhari not to contest –Ex-NBA president
Wole Balogun, Ado Ekiti
Ekiti State Government has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the duration of the voters registration exercise currently ongoing in the state.
Head of Service (HoS), Dr. Olugbenga Faseluka, made the call, while going round the local government areas to monitor the exercise.
Describing the people’s turnout as impressive, Faseluka noted that the time frame for the exercise would be inadequate to accommodate all eligible voters waiting to be captured.
He observed that it took an average of seven minutes to register one voter, which led to a huge number of spill-over of people in line at the close of the exercise, each day, and added that it would have been more conducive, if the exercise had been extended till 5:00p.m. daily.
Faseluka said the government would follow up on the complaints and requests of stakeholders, particularly on the creation of additional polling units in some areas in the state.
The HoS, who stressed that the sensitisation/monitoring programme was apolitical, emphasised that the focus was to secure the future of Ekiti as an entity, adding that the exercise was to allow those that relocated to the state to transfer their voters’ cards, while damaged cards could be replaced and an opportunity for those who were, hitherto, underage to register.
Governor Ayo Fayose had declared Friday a work free day for workers and directed senior civil servants to mobilise and monitor the exercise in their respective localities to ensure many eligible people partake in the exercise.
Meanwhile, a former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Wole Olanipekun, has urged Nigerians to stop telling President Muhammadu Buhari not to re-contest the presidency in February 2019, noting that such calls are unnecessary.
Olanipekun argued that running for the presidency is the constitutional right of Buhari and other Nigerians interested in that position and any other elective offices.
The senior advocate also advised that Buhari should not be accorded a superior right over other candidates, adding that all who have indicated interest to govern the nation must be given equal right to canvass for votes in line with the constitution and Electoral Act.
He equally expressed great concern over politicians’ penchant for votes buying during elections, saying the practice has greatly impoverished many Nigerians.
He said the politicians should rather use such money to create jobs for the unemployed and under privileged.
Olanipekun, who spoke with newsmen at the weekend, shortly after the foundation laying ceremony of the new St. Peter’s Anglican Church building, in Oke’kere, Ikere-Ekiti, advised Nigerians to probe those seeking public offices while candidates should unfold their manifestos and programmes to voters.