- Traditional rulers denounce buying of votes
Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
The United States of America (USA), has said the world is interested and would monitor the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State to ensure that rules are not circumvented in the poll.
This is coming as the Chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers in the state and Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, has urged the US to prevent vote-buying during the governorship poll in the state.
The US Consul General in Nigeria, Mr. John Bray, dropped the hint at a meeting with the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers held at the palace of Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe.
He said there would be no compromise on the need to conduct a free, fair and credible election in a peaceful atmosphere in line with global best practices.
Bray promised that the US iscommitted to peace before, during and after the election.
“We are on the side of the people. We are here to support free, fair, credible and peaceful election. The eyes of the world will be on Ekiti State on July 14. We would be here and we won’t let you down,†he said.
Meanwhile, Oba Ademolaju has asked the US to prevent vote-buying during the July 14 governorship poll in the state.
Oba Ademolaju urged US to bring observers from all over the world to ensure that each vote countes in the election.
The monarch stated that the people are resolute to resist manipulation in whatever form, saying the governorship poll would be a pointer to what is to come in the 2019 general election.
“We want you to use your good office to bring monitors all over polling units. Security agencies must be above board during and after the elections. We want everybody to be carried along. We want reputable groups as monitors present at polling units not people that will just be moving about,†he said.
Another prominent traditional ruler, Oba Adejugbe, said the people would be happy if the most popular candidate won the election.
“We want peace and vote to count. If the most popular candidate won at the end of the day, nobody would raise a voice. We are concerned about safety in our domain, we don’t want Ekiti to be a battle ground. We want the choice of the people to emerge as governor in the election,†he added.
