The resident electoral commissioner of Oyo State, Mr. Mutiu Agboke has alleged that some politicians in the state were putting pressure on him to sell unclaimed 914,529 permanent voter cards in his custody to them.
Agboke who made the revelation at a seminar tagged ‘Online journalism and media integrity in Nigeria’ held in Ibadan yesterday said the information was based on a security report at his disposal.
He said the “security report I got…did not specify the party and the individuals that are involved.”
However, he said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would not succumb to such pressure aimed at rigging the forthcoming polls.
“As far as we are concerned, PVCs are not for sale. INEC is determined to ensure that people’s votes count in the free, fair and credible elections in 2019.
“They are looking for PVCs to buy. They are looking for what is not available because they know that these things are not available. This is the security report at my disposal.
“Tell those who are looking for PVCs to buy that there is none to buy in Oyo State. I can assure you that no INEC employee will sell PVCs to any politician. I can assure you that the process will be free and fair in Oyo State.
“I have nothing to hide concerning the 2019 general elections in Oyo State, whoever wins in 2019 shall be announce as the winners.
“Those who are looking for PVCs to buy, I won’t give you their names. I don’t have their names.
“But that is the security report I got and the report did not specify the party and the individuals that are involved. They want us to give them PVCs but we can’t give it to them. They want to buy PVCs but there is none to sell in Oyo State,” said Agboke.
The commissioner assured residents of the state of smooth elections devoid of crisis in 2019.
He urged journalists in the state to cooperate with the commission in spreading accurate information to the electorate.
“All of us are stakeholders. If you are in doubt, call INEC. More so, you are online journalists, let us ensure that we have our facts correct. For me in Oyo State, I have nothing to hide. We conducted the election in Eruwa and the people that won, won,” he added.
