Politics
DR Mutiu Agboke, the immediate past Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Oyo State, has urged Muslim elites to educate members of the public on innovation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) toward successful conduct of 2023 general election.
Agboke made the plea on Monday in a lecture entitled: “Why and How Muslim Elites Should Be Involved in Preaching Islam”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lecture, organised by the Forum for Comparative Sermons (FOCOS) was held at the Multipurpose Hall, Bodija Estate Islamic Centre, Ibadan.
According to him, Muslim elites, being the source of correct information and knowledge about all issues around them, should assist in using their influence and position for the success of the forthcoming general election.
“They should support INEC to make the electorate understand how the general election would be conducted, won and lost by the candidates.
“Among what the electorate should understand in the upcoming election in 2023 are innovation of the commission, such as INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED); Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS); Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) and INEC Results Viewing Portal (IRev).
“All these will give Muslim elites good standing to spread the gospel of the commission from the informed point of view and not otherwise.
“Muslim elites are so important in the current dispensation as they are to help in constructive and clear headed engagement of members of the public, not only by preaching Islam.
“But, also they should use their mental clarity of issues and undiluted dispositions predicated on the model of example of Prophet Muhammad,” Agboke said.
He said misinformation pervades everywhere about the activities of the commission, adding that it was proper for Muslim elites to know few things, if not everything about the Electoral Act, 2022.
Agboke reassured Nigerians that INEC would transmit election results in the 2023 general election, contrary to the misinformation in the public space.
“INEC, as a commission, shall transmit the election results from the polling unit on election day in 2023 through the IRev.
“This will enable the electorate from anywhere to view the result in its entirety, thus allows for transparency and remove the atmosphere of tension on election day,” he said.
Agboke, also urged politicians to seek votes more from the electorate than harrassing the sensibility of the electorate with cash in form of vote-buying “which is punishable with two years imprisonment”.
He said that the 2023 general election “shall be won on the strength of electorate acceptability and the candidate’s popularity”.(NAN)
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Tags: Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Mutiu Agboke
