Ekiti State Government has constituted a Sensitization Committee on the forthcoming Local Government Election in the State as part of efforts at ensuring peace and compliance with electoral regulations before, during and after the election.

The Committee, headed by the State Commissioner for Information, Tourism and Values Orientation, Aare Muyiwa Olumilua, consists of the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Professor Adio Folayan; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Tourism and Values Orientation, Dr. (Mrs) Adekunbi Obaisi and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Mobilization, Mr. Tunji Ogunlola.


Other members of the committee are the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor representing the Deputy Governor, the Senior Special Assistant to the Wife of the Governor, Hon. Oluremi Ajayi representing the wife of the Governor and Mr. Dayo Famosaya from the National Orientation Agency (NOA) as well as the Director, Political and Economic Affairs Dept., Mr. Tai Akomolafe who will function as secretary of the team.
Inaugurating the committee in Ado Ekiti, the State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Abiodun Oyebanji reiterated the resolve of the Fayemi led administration to a successful and peaceful conduct of the election, stressing that the focus was to guarantee a free, fair and credible election with people in the State electing their genuine leaders.
Mr. Oyebanji highlighted the terms of reference of the committee to include mobilizing people to vote, educate them on their rights and duties as voters as well as advise the people to eschew violence.
Oyebanji explained that the State Government constituted the committee in recognition of the importance of the of the local government as the closest arm of government to the people at the grassroots adding that it was also the constitutional right of the people to choose their leaders.
“This committee is to go out before the election to talk to our people, to educate them on the import of this very important assignment and to assure them that government would provide an enabling environment and security of lives and property before, during and after the election”, he stated.
Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Aare Muyiwa Olumilua pledged the commitment of the committee to achieving optimum success in the new assignment.
Expressing gratitude to Governor Fayemi for the confidence reposed in them with their selection into the committee, Aare Olumilua promised to live up to their responsibilities.
“We know how important democracy is, to our governor, especially, and to the State. We are a State guided by the rule of law and all democratic ethics. So, we are going to make sure that we pass the message across right round the State in all the 16 Local Government Areas, that the forthcoming local government elections shall be free and fair”, Olumilua assured.
He added that “the elections shall be democratic and according to our mandate as well, we want to pass across the message, that apart being free and fair, elections should be violence free. Every candidate would be given the choice to sell themselves to the electorate and the electorate would be left to vote for whom they feel should be their representatives.”