From Bola Ogunlayi, Ibadan
As Oyo State Independence Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) gets set for the much-awaited Local Government Elections scheduled for Saturday, May 22, 2021, no fewer than 2,850 Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NCDC) and 9,000 Policemen has been deployed to all the 33 Councils by the State Government.
Time Nigeria Correspondents who captures the preparations on ground for the Election reports that OYSIEC has so far distributed sensitive and non sensitive materials across the State.
There is also a heavy presence of security operatives at the OYSIEC Headquarters in Agodi Ibadan, the Capital of Oyo State.
Men of the Nigeria Police are on ground with a tactical team led by the State Assistant Commissioner of Police Operations (ACP). Olugbenga Ojo and the NSCDC operatives.
Journalists and other stakeholders are also on ground for inspection of needed materials and accreditations.
The elections attracted journalists from neighbouring States including ,Osun, Ogun and Lagos, while some others are from Abuja ,the Federal Capital Territory.
Earlier in a statement that was signed and issued by the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Adewale Osifeso, the State Police declared deployment of not less than 9,000 Policemen for successful conduct of the elections.
Similarly on Tuesday,
a Press Release by the State Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC, Superintendent Oluwole Olusegun maintained that the State Commandant Iskilu Akinsanya approved the deployment of total number 2,850 operatives to monitor the elections in order to have a free hitch exercise.
The Chairman of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission OYSIEC, Aare Isiaka Abiola Olagunju SAN, was also on ground to monitor the distribution of materials for the Election .
Briefing journalists at the OYSIEC Headquarters Agodi Ibadan on Thursday, Aare Olagunju promised that the elections will be free , fair and credible.
He also assured a level playing ground for all the participating political parties and urged residents of the State to go out and exercise their franchise.
Recall that the major opposition political Party,the All Progressive Congress (APC) said it will boycott the Election and calling for a shift in date.
Te Party at a Press briefing said it would be wrong not to consider the recent Court judgment that declared as illegal the sack of its ALGON members from office by the Governor Seyi Makinde.
It claimed their members could not participate in the processes that led to the planned Election when their aggrieved Council Chairmen await Supreme Court Judgement which outcome was in their favour.
