Hon Sarafadeen Olaoniye Bibire has called on the people of Oyo State to ensure full participation in the forthcoming local government elections by voting for the candidate of their choice, The former caretaker chairman appealed to the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) to ensure that it conducts fair, free and transparent elections, insisting that APC candidates will win some seats if the elections are conducted free and fair.
In a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday, Hon.Bibiire emphasised the need for the people to participate actively in the elections, adding that the council elections are the most important as those to be elected as councillors and chairmen are meant to directly serve the masses.
He further explained that the local government is meant to be the closest government to the people. He, however, regretted that anti-people political parties holding Nigerians to ransom since 1999 have been killing local government administrations by imposing their lackeys and other elements that are not known to the grassroots.
“They do this for two reasons,” Hon.Bibiire said, “One is to keep primitively looted wealth by making sure allocations to the Local Government Administrations are held at the state level and pittances sent down to their lackeys in charge.
“Also, they hold down the LG administrations to make sure there is no development from below.
Stated that local government autonomy is the best way to bring government to the doorstep of the masses.
Hon. Sarafa Olaoniye appealed to people of Oyo State especially Ibarapa to vote candidates that are super brilliant, selfless, and highly experienced in working with the masses. Education, Healthcare, Security, Agriculture is very important as of today to make life easy for the people of the pace setters. If Nigerians had got it right in terms of local government administration we would not be suffering this badly.”
He continued, “We have a situation today – Nigerians are suffering in the hands of the few.
He called on the Seyi Makinde-led Administration to allow the elections to be free and fair to be . It is on this note that I call on the OYSIEC to be transparent, fair, and free. We know that some hanky panky is at play, but we will resist all forms of rigging throughout the whole state. We insist that both BVAS and IREV must work efficiently, or else!
“We also call on police, military, and paramilitary not to be allowed to be used to disrupt elections.
“Finally, we call on Oyo state electorates to rise and come out to vote for the candidate of their choice.
He appealed to all Ibarapa indigiene to desist from politics of bitterness and vote the right person to power. It is time to vote for the party that will put the people and humanity first
