Lagos By-Election: We’ll Use IReV, Follow All Rules – REC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Lagos State, Professor Ayobami Salami, has said the commission will follow all rules as stipulated in the 2022 Electoral Act, including its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in the Surulere 1 Federal Constituency by-election

Salami stated this on Saturday at Lagos Progressive Junior Secondary School, Adeniran Ogunsanya, Surulere, while addressing journalists.

THE WHISTLER reports that IREV is an electronic platform which provides real-time information to aid election transparency.

“By the grace of God, we promise that we’re going to follow the rules and regulations as specified in the Electoral Act 2022 and our own guidelines, including the IREV,” he said.

Salami noted that INEC deployed materials and its staff members to the field on time, adding that so far everything has been going smoothly.

“We deployed all the materials and men on time. And we don’t have any issue with logistics,” he said.

“So far, everything has been going on smoothly. We’ve no hitch at all.”

The REC urged political parties to play by the rules and work with the Commission towards ensuring a free and fair election.

“I want to plead with the political stakeholders to play by the rules and cooperate and collaborate with INEC to ensure we’ve free and fair election.

“But so far, the collaboration has been very good. We’ve been able to understand one another and work collaboratively,” Salami said.

He commended the security agencies, saying that he hopes a peaceful election would be achieved at the end in the constituency.

“The security agencies have been very excellent in terms of their duties. You (can) see that there’s massive deployment. And so far there’s peace everywhere and everything is going smoothly. I look forward to a very peaceful election in this constituency today,” Salami said.

According to him, for now there is no cause for alarm as the process is going on smoothly.

The bye-election is to replace the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Gbajabiamila, who represented Surulere 1 Federal Constituency in the lower house of the National Assembly for 20 years, tendered his resignation letter on the floor of the House on June 14, 2023 to resume work as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.

Although 12 political parties are participating in the House of Representatives bye-election, the contest is between the All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).