2019 ELECTION: OONI OF IFE URGES NIGERIANS TO SUPPORT INEC

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The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi has appealed to Nigerians to support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct free, fair, credible and peaceful elections in 2019 even as he assured the Commission of the Traditional Rulers’ support and prayers for the Chairman and INEC officials.
The Oba, who made the appeal on Tuesday when the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Oba’s Palace in Ile Ife also appealed to Nigerian youths to shun violence and join hands to make the work of INEC easier.
His Imperial Majesty expressed appreciation for the visit saying, “We feel very delighted and very honoured that you find it very honourable to visit us in Ife and the throne of Oduduwa. I thank God for your life and we will be praying for you.
“I assure you that everyone in the Kingdom of Ife will continue to pray for you because you want things to be done well. We told you that all will be well in Osun Governorship election, we assured you that things will go very well and things went well. I want to let you know that the throne of Oduduwa played that role to be neutral,” he added.
 Oba Ogunwusi reminded Chairman that in few months, tension will be focussed on him but assured him that ‘God Almighty will help you carry it. You will be the most populous person in the whole black world; We will continue to remember you for good in all you do.’
 The Oba said he was confident that the 2019 General Elections will be conducted peacefully and Prof. Yakubu’s name would be written in stone adding, ‘we will continue to support you because you cannot do it alone. God will help you.’
 His Majesty said ‘it is a great privilege to have you in Ife to give a lecture and in the Palace. Ife as Kingdom is full of spirituality and the unseen spirit will be guiding you to do the things right. That unseen spirit will continue to be with you and all INEC staff.’
The Royal Father made a passionate appeal to Nigerians to go out and collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) which is the power to vote adding ‘that is the power in your hand, not power of gun, matches, tools of destruction. Let us work with INEC and make their job simple. Nigeria is greater than all, let us join hands to do things in an orderly manner.’
To the Youths, the Oba urged them not to allow themselves to be used as instrument of destruction by politicians, ‘you are youth today, tomorrow you will be old, what will you tell your children? Go out and pick your PVCs. You have only three months and five days to the election.’
He ended on prayer note for the country saying, ‘ God bless Nigeria, the unity of our country is in our hands. God bless INEC and the officials.’
Earlier, INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu on behalf of all the Chairmen of Election Commissions in West Africa thanked his Imperial Majesty for the role he played during the Osun Governorship Election, recalled that he appealed to political parties to maintain peace.
The Chairman appealed to His Imperial Majesty to pray for the nation for peaceful conduct of 2019 General Elections and also to appeal to political parties and their supporters to maintain peace all over the country.
Prof. Yakubu advised citizens not only to support the conduct of peaceful election but come out and collect their PVCs stating that only 600 cards are outstanding in Osun State and ‘we hope to deliver them by the end of the month.’
The Chairman was accompanied on the visit by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Osun State Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, Director VEP, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, Head of Voter Education and Publicity Osun State, Venerable Stephen Ojewande and other Directing Staff of the Commission.
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