The University of Ibadan branch of the Association of United Nations Students Association (ANUNSA) hosted a Political Conference as a means of contributing their own quota to the political conversation currently on going in the country as we move towards another general election cycle.
At a well attended program hosted at Teddar Alumni Hall, this group of young people made a statement appealing to voters not to sell their votes thus selling the future of everyone.
The programme which was chaired by eminent elder, Chief Yemi Farombi, a former ambassador to the Phillipines and a stalwart of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, brought together undergraduate and postgraduate students from various institutions, market men and women, representatives of the National Orientation Agency led by Alhaji Kehinde Isiaka who talked on avoiding violence, a powerful team from INEC led by the REC, Barrister Mutiu Agboke who spoke to assure all contestants of a level playing ground after teaching and demonstrating to the audience the 7-step the 2019 election will be conducted on for each voter, the result collation process and the roles of Party agents.
The INEC boss also made it clear that it is not possible to vote with a PVC that’s not yours, that anyone with the Temporary Voter’s Card will not be eligible to vote and that anyone found around voting areas with huge sums of money will be prosecuted.
Also present were the Chief Imam of UI central Mosque, Prof. M.O Abdulrahman, Mrs Raji-Oyelade and other staff members of the university.
The event which also had in attendance the gubernatorial candidates of Action Alliance Congress, Engr. Akinwale Omololu Laosun, that of the National Interest Party, Bolanle Ashabi Sarumi and Mr. Akin Akande Sanyaolu who all took turns to present their manifestos to the audience was compered by Mayor Isaac Brown of Fresh FM.
Prince Segun , an online publisher and Chief of Staff to Iba Gani Adams was the Guest lecturer. In his paper titled ‘The role of the media towards ensuring votes count,’ he reiterated the fact that the media had to provide platform for all political opinions and ideas. He also encouraged the voting population to make informed decisions based on information received from the media.
Yemi Alabi, a journalist and one of the panelists at the event spoke on the agenda setting role of the media.
She also encouraged the contestants and voting population to access information from the media with all their senses firmly in place to analyse such received information. She concluded her presentation by reiterating the importance of trusting the umpire (INEC) and urging everyone involved in the process playing by the rules.
The president of the association Mr. Olalekan Oladokun, while giving the vote of thanks reiterated that there was a huge need to carry every demography along in the war against vote selling and buying.
