2023 Elections: Bamidele Votes In Ekiti, Says The Election Is Free, Fair

By Olanrewaju Falayi.

The Senatorial Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele for the Ekiti Central Senatorial district has casted his vote at his Country Home of Iyin Ekiti just as he declared that the election has been free and fair since it commenced in the morning.

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Addressing reporters, he said “democracy is here to stay” in Nigeria and that he is happy that the election is holding today.

Mr Bamidele spoke with journalists in Iyin-Ekiti, his hometown in Irepodun / Ifelodun Local Government area, after voting at Ward ‘B’ Unit 003.

He said the voting process is “going on smoothly”.

On the turnout of voters, the APC Senatorial Candidate said, “this is expected, we need a good turnout and that is the adoption and the commitment to democracy and the democratic process must take place.”

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Bamidele said there was the need for the new technological innovation to encompass all facets of electoral process, including accreditation, voting and electronic transfer of votes.

The APC senator said that electronic transfer of votes would not only improve the poll credibility, but would also stamp out the fears of people in tampering with results at the collation centres after election.

He lauded the security arrangements and massive turnout of voters across the state.

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“Accreditation and voting have commenced in many polling units across Nigeria as the 87.2 million voters with Permanent Voter Cards go to the polls to elect a new president and members of the country’s National Assembly”.

According to him, the upsurge in the number of voters substantiated that Nigeria is now having a remarkable improvement in the conduct of elections.

Officials of the country’s electoral agency, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are on ground at the 176,606 polling units scattered across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory that make up Nigeria.

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From the reports I heard from the start of the voting, it has been a peaceful process. We owe it a duty to collectively protect the integrity of this process.

“All of us are bothered with the kind of tension in towns before this election, but I am personally happy for the way it has turned out peacefully,” Mr Bamidele said

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