By Josephine Oguntoyinbo

The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) yesterday presented certificates of return to the newly elected local government councillors in 199 out of 203 wards of the state.
Presenting certificates to the councillors, the commission chairman, Prof Yomi Dinakin recalled that local government election was conducted by the commission on Saturday, August 22 into chairmanship and councillorship positions across the eighteen local government areas of the state.
To this end, he said as the Chief Electoral Officer of the state and by the virtue of law, he is to issue certificates of return to them as councillors which they are to present to the Clerk of the house in their various council areas for inauguration.
While congratulating the councillors on behalf of ODIEC, he admonished them to be responsible and proactive, noting that electing them into public positions is a call to duty.
The ODIEC boss described their election as an avenue for sincere representation of their people at the ward level in this democratic era.
“The position is a stepping stone as the lowest rank in the ladder ,to aspire for higher positions.You are the eyes of the people because you are from the grassroots, therefore your impacts and whatever you are able to achieve will go a long way,” he maintained.
He therefore urged them not to betray the trust reposed in them by the people.
It would be recalled that the ODIEC chairman professor, Yomi Dinakin while addressing newsmen during the declaration of results of 199 wards across the state on August, 23 said cases of electoral violence, snatching of ballot boxes and others were recorded in giur oolitical wards which compelled the commission to cancel elections in the areas.
He however affirmed the victory of the All Progressive Congress, APC in all the 199 wards.
Professor Dinakin stated that a new date for re-run of election would be announced in the affected four wards at a later date.
Speaking in separate interviews with The Hope,some of the councillors promised to follow democratic tenets and justify the confidence reposed in them by the electorates.
They promised to be a good servants and defend the interest of their people for overall development of the local council..