Ogun state governor, Ibikunle Amosun has cast his vote at ward 6, unit 8, Itagbangba, Itoko, Abeokuta-South local government and called for a reduction in the number of political parties.
Amosun who arrived the polling booth in the company of his wife, Olufunsho and two of his children, joined the queue immediately.
He cast his vote at 10: 35 am shortly after his wife.
Speaking with newsmen, Amosun described the electoral process as peaceful and better than the past elections.
He also lauded the large turnout of voters across the state, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission to improve on its operation.
While speaking on the proliferation of political parties in the country, Amosun suggested that the number be pruned from 93 to six, based on the geopolitical zones.
He said “There is still a lot more room for improvement, a scenario where we have maybe sixty-something, seventy-something parties when you listen to what is happening in other climes, they the election result was announced within maybe five-six hours.
“It is a lot of efforts that the INEC people will have to put in.
“Look at the long ballot papers that were given. Imagine, if you have just five parties.
” So, I want to canvass and fortunately, I am going back to the Senate, to ensure that we should find a way to reduce the number of political parties.
“The last time, I think about sixty political parties or thereabouts did not even poll one million votes, so, clearly, I think we should do something about that”.
He, therefore , said ” I recommend a maximum of six parties, because, we have six geopolitical zones.
“But, I think a party that will win must be a party that is multi-plural, that will have a presence in all the political zones.
“But, having eighty, ninety political parties, is bringing a lot of stress on the part of the INEC.
“O the part of the electorate and on the part of everybody, even, in terms of finances, funding elections imagine what they went through.
“So, I think there should be need for improvement. I, as a person, will want to canvass that, we should reduce it to a maximum of six political parties”.
PUNCH
