Dr Mutiu Agboke, the outgone Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Oyo State, has emphasised the need for the commission to sustain making its activities transparent to the public and media to fulfil its mandate.
Agboke, who completed his five years tenure as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Oyo State on Wednesday, urged INEC staff members to build on the commission’s achievements.
He made the plea at a send-off programme organised for him by the commission’s staff members in Oyo State, in Ibadan.
While appreciating them for their cooperation and supports since he assumed office on Jan. 25, 2018, he urged the commission’s management to sustain the good collaboration with other major stakeholders.
Agboke attributed the successes recorded during his tenure to the support received from the management and the entire staff members.
“Our engagement with the stakeholders should be sustained. INEC activities should be transparent to the public and media should carry correct information about the commission.
“And of course, members of the public should know that the same trust they have in INEC should be there toward the 2023 general elections,” he said.
Agboke, also urged the Administrative Secretary of INEC in Oyo State, Alhaji Abiodun Amosun, to sustain the good programmes put in place during his tenure.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of the occasion, Prof. Taiye Simbine, who was a National Commissioner of INEC, described Agboke as a blessing to the commission.
According to Simbine, Agboke has instilled discipline in the staff and made sure that they delivered the mandate of the commission at the state level.
The chairperson, who is also the current Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), Ibadan, urged INEC staff members to be professional in the discharge of their duties.
She advised them not to patronise politicians/political parties, saying that INEC staff members must be seen as unbiased in discharge of their duties.
“When you are relating with political parties, it should be in furtherance of the objective delivery of the commission’s good, transparency, credible elections,” she said.
Also, Mr Dare Ojo, the Chairman of Inter- Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) in Oyo State, described Agboke as a leader per excellent, saying that IPAC had cordial relationship with him.
Ojo urged all the commission’s management staff to emulate the leadership style of Agboke so that the commission could continue to excell in its activities.
