Security

Police Week: Stakeholders Advocate Credible Elections

By Web News 231

By Abisola Oluremi

As part of activities marking the 2026 Police Week, the Oyo State Police Command underscored the critical role that credible elections play in fostering national development.

The programme, which brought together various stakeholders, also intensified efforts to educate the public on the importance of adhering to traffic regulations.

In his welcome address at the police headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Olugbenga Abimbola, expressed concern that many road crashes are directly linked to traffic rule violations.

On the issue of ensuring credible elections, CP Abimbola assured the public that officers of the command are fully prepared and will maintain the highest level of impartiality.

He added that anyone caught engaging in electoral violence would be dealt with in accordance with the law.

Also addressing the audience, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Mr Ekaneh Hussein, highlighted electoral violence and ballot snatching as key challenges that must be tackled decisively to ensure free and fair elections.

Mr Hussein urged political stakeholders and members of the public to cooperate with law enforcement agencies to ensure a peaceful electoral process.

Representing the Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Abdulramon Tella, the Administrative Secretary of INEC, Mrs Agnes Olutunminu, called on religious leaders to use their platforms to speak against the dangers of vote-buying and other electoral malpractices.

Echoing the call, Professor Tella emphasised that individuals involved in electoral violations must be treated as criminals, regardless of their social standing or influence.

Edited by Maxwell Oyekunle

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Yoruba

Àjọ INEC Fẹ́ Sàmúlò Ọ̀nà Ìgbàlódé Ètò Ìdìbò

By Web News 652

Àjọ elétò ìdìbò ilẹ̀ yíì INEC, ní òun ti sàgbékalẹ̀ ọ̀nà ìgbàlódé nípa ìmọ̀ ẹ̀rọ láti fòpin sí màgòmágó ìbò àti wípé wọ́n ti ńsisẹpọ pẹ̀lú àwọn àjọ elétò ààbò, àjọ tó ńrísí ìwà àjẹbánu àti èyítí ó ńgbógunti oogun olóró NDLEA, láti fojú ẹnikẹ́ni tó bá lọ́wọ́ nínú rira ìbò àti jíjí àpóótí ìbò gbé káta òfin.

Ọga àgbà àjọ INEC, nípinlẹ̀ Ọ̀yọ́, Ọ̀mọ̀wé Mutiu Agboke ẹnití ó sọ̀rọ̀ yí níbi àpàdé àwọn tọrọkan lẹ́kùn Ọ̀yọ́/Ogbomọsọ èyítí ó wáyé ní gbọ̀ngàn Àtìbà nílu ọ̀yọ́ tẹnumọ wípé iforikọsilẹ olùdìbò ńlọ lọ́wọ́ láwọn ọ́fìsi wọn tó wà níjọba ìbílẹ̀ káàkiri ìpínlẹ̀ ọ̀yọ́.

Àjọ elétò ìdìbò ilẹ̀ yí, INEC, ti ní òun ńgbèrò àti pín iforukosilẹ olùdìbò tó ńlọ lọ́wọ́ sáwọn ibùdó ìdìbò gbogbo sáàjú ètò ìdìbò gbogbogbò tọdún 2023.

Elizabeth Idogbe/Aminat Ajibike

Politics

Court: I remain Oyo State Governor- Makinde

By Web News 749 Post a comment

 The Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, says that the mandate of the people of Oyo State given to him through the March 9 governorship election remains intact following the ruling of the Court of Appeal in Ibadan.

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, declares that the mandate given to Governor Makinde by the people of Oyo State cannot be taken through the backdoor.

According to the statement, Governor Makinde said there was no ambiguity as to the state of things in our pacesetter state as far as the election of March 9, 2019, is concerned maintaining that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the election.

The statement notes that the victory was reaffirmed by a ruling of the Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Ibadan, the state capital.

The statement states that the Court refused to nullify the election, it refused to order a fresh election and it also refused to order the retrial of the petition.

“With the above being the reality of the outcome of the Appeal Court ruling, the election of Engineer Seyi Makinde as the Governor of Oyo State has just been reaffirmed.

There is nothing in the Appeal Court’s ruling that affects the returns made by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and there is nothing that tampers with the mandate freely given to Engineer Seyi Makinde by the people of Oyo State.”

Governor Makinde urged the good people of Oyo State to remain calm and refuse to be provoked by agents of disruption who are seeking to upturn the truth, which remains constant against all odds.

Governor Makinde insisted that positive governance and unprecedented development would continue to be the portion of the people of Oyo state through his tenure.

Iyabo Adebisi