Observers who monitored yesterday’s governorship election in Ekiti said that there was tremendous improvement in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s conduct of the poll.

The result announced by the Returning Officer, Prof. Isaac Asuzu, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, gave former governor Ayo Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) victory with 203,090 votes as against 150,433 votes scored by incumbent governor Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Accredited observers, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), urged INEC commission to put in place all logistic arrangements for the Aug. 9 governorship election in Osun.

Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, the President of Women Arise, a non-governmental organisation and accredited observer group in the election, said that INEC had greatly improved on its performance.

“INEC must not, however, rest on its oars, but should do more to attain perfection in handling the nation’s electoral process,” she said, adding:

“After the Osun election, we have a bigger challenge which is the 2015 general elections. We expect the best from the commission.”

Also speaking, Mr. Samson Itodo, Head of Research, Policy and Advocacy, Youth Action Initiative África, said the Ekiti poll opened a new vista for elections in the country.

His words: “We give kudos to INEC but it must build on this success. Our monitoring showed that the commission is learning.

“The commission has, to a large extent, addressed the logistic problems usually associated with its conduct of elections in Nigeria.

“We received a complaint in Oye-Ekiti because the INEC adhoc workers insisted on waiting for security escort before going to polling units and this was quickly resolved.”

On the Osun election, Itodo pointed out that there were more voters and local government areas in Osun compared to Ekiti, adding that INEC must take this into consideration in its arrangements.

He, however, advised political parties, which participated in the election, to refrain from inciting the people but to accept the result or seek redress in court.

•Photo shows Ekiti State Governor-elect Ayo Fayose.

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