INEC presents certificates of return to Osun Governor elect, Adeleke, deputy

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Wednesday presented certificates of return to the Governor elect of Osun State, Senator Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke and the

Deputy Governor elect.

The presentation ceremony, which took place at the  Media Centre, of the INEC State Headquarters, Osogbo, was performed by Commission’s Supervising National Commissioner, Prof Kunle Ajayi.

Prof Ajayi explained that the ceremony was in accordance with the provision of Section 72 (Sub section 1) of the electoral act, which mandates INEC to issue a sealed Certificate of Return to the Governor-Elect and Deputy Governor-Elect within 14 days after declaration of result by the Returning Officer.

The National Commissioner emphatically said that INEC has been 

consistent in achieving its vision of becoming one of the best election management bodies in the world and acting on its core values of; independence, impartiality, neutrality and transparency.

He commended and congratulated the people of Osun on the peaceful way and manner in which they conducted themselves in the conduct of the concluded Governorship election. 

The voter turn-out, he noted, was large and there was no major electoral violence incidence recorded.

The election, the National Commissioner noted, was perhaps the most anticipated election of the year, not just because it was the last major off-cycle election before the 2023 General Election, but also, it was the first major election after the highly rated Ekiti Governorship elections, which was viewed by Nigerians with a note of caution.

He pointed out that with the successful conduct of the Osun State governorship election, the INEC would like to assure Nigerians that this has become the standard of Election Management in Nigeria.

According to him, “First, I would like to commend and congratulate the good people of Osun on the peaceful way and manner in which they conducted themselves in the conduct of the just concluded Governorship election. 

‘”The voter turn-out was large and there was no major electoral violence incidence recorded.

 “Indeed, the election was perhaps the most anticipated election of the year, not just because it was the last major off-cycle election before the 2023 General Election, but also, it was the first major election after the highly rated Ekiti Governorship elections, which was viewed by Nigerians with a note of caution.

“However, with the successful conduct of the Osun State governorship election, the Commission would like to assure Nigerians that this has become the standard of Election Management in Nigeria.

“On the part of INEC, as an electoral umpire, under the leadership of the Hon. Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, we are consistent in achieving our vision to become one of the best election management bodies in the world and acting on our core values of; independence, impartiality, neutrality and transparency.

“Furthermore, the introduction of innovative technologies and processes such as the use of; Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), INEC Election Result Viewing Portal (IReV), Election Risk Management (ERM) tools, Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) for Registration Area Camp (RAC’)s, Root Training  for Corpers etc. has significantly geared INEC towards delivering seamless voter experiences to the electorates.”