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Oyo State governor-elect, Engr. Seyi Makinde on Wednesday received his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The event held at the Banquet hall, Premier Hotel, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. INEC national commissioner for Oyo, Osun and Ekiti, Prince Adedeji Soyebi, presented the certificate of return.
In his speech, Makinde stated that his desire is to make the lives of Oyo people better. He congratulated the lawmakers-elect and expressed his willingness to work with them to bring succor to the people of the state.
“I want to congratulate the elected lawmakers and we are going to work with them in our desire to make the lives of Oyo state indigenes better,” he said.
Delivering his welcome address, the Oyo state INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC), Barrister Mutiu Agboke noted that 42 governorship candidates across 42 political parties participated in the governorship election while 659 candidates across 42 parties contested for the 32 seats in the State House of Assembly.
He said out of the 32 members elected into the State Assembly, only two people have a renewed mandate while the rest have a fresh mandate.
The REC revealed that no fewer than 17 petitions were before the Oyo State Election Petitions Tribunal arising from the conduct of the 2019 elections. The petitions include four Senatorial elections and 13 House of Representatives elections.
Agboke charged the elected officials not to downplay the dreams, feelings and expectations of their constituencies and the electorate in general who sacrificed their comfort and shunned intimidation to cast the votes for the eventual winners.
“Let me admonish the elected officials not to downplay the dreams, feelings and expectations of their constituencies and the electorate in general. The voters, in some cases, risked their lives, sacrificed their comfort, shunned intimidation and harassment to cast their ballot for you.
“You cannot afford to disappoint them. Always have it at the back of your minds that 2023 is around the corner. Elections are designed to renew or withdraw mandate.
“Presently, arising from the general elections in this state, we have a total of 17 petitions before the Oyo State Election Petition Tribunal. The breakdown is four Senatorial and 13 House of Representatives petitions.
“Filing and hearing of election petitions fall into post-election activities as aggrieved candidates are given the opportunity of presenting their grievances before the judiciary,” he said.
In a brief remark, Soyebi commended the people of Oyo state for their peaceful conduct during the general elections which ensured that no case of inconclusive election was recorded in the state.
He called for improved electoral participation by the people, adding that the number of votes recorded in the last election was a far cry from the total number of people on the voters register.
He urged the people to support the commission in its preparations for the 2023 elections which he claimed has started in earnest.