The newly deployed Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Osun State, Doctor Mutiu Agboke has paid a familiarization visit to major security formations in the state, with an appeal to them for synergy to secure the property of the commission.
The REC who visited the Police State Headquarters of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC and the Directorate of State Security all in Osogbo, said adequate security was key to providing an enabling environment for Nigerians to exercise their franchise in the next year’s general election.
Doctor Agboke told his hosts that with the introduction of technology into the Nigeria election management system, outcomes of elections would reflect the wish and aspirations of the people.
“It’s just about 100 days to the general election. I want to assure you that the commission is fully prepared. The recent attacks in Osun and Ogun States would not prevent the commission from organising a free, fair, credible election.”
“I urge all politicians to go to the people with good manifestoes. The era of election rigging is gone for good. The people’s vote is the only determinant of who wins the election. Our politicians should also steer clear of vote buying because it’s criminal. We all have roles to play in bringing sanity into our political space”.
He said solicited effective collaboration between the security agencies and INEC to ensure that hoodlums were not allowed to derail Nigeria’s democratic adventure.
Dr Agboke charged the security outfits to confront the challenge of vote buying by arresting its perpetrators during the election.
In a response, Osun State Commissioner of Police, Mr Faleye Olaleye expressed concern over the recent attack on the INEC office in Ede South Local Government and charged the commission to be proactive in protecting its facilities.
Mr Olayeye noted that from the series of calculated attacks on INEC facilities, there existed a fifth columnist who did not want the forthcoming election to hold, hence the need to join hands to defeat them.
The Police Commissioner assured INEC that the Inspector General had given marching orders for the compulsory protection of INEC materials and personnel nationwide.
It was the same message of assurance at the headquarters of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC at Oke Ayepe in Osogbo, where the state commandant, Mr Agboola Sunday said the service remains committed to its mandate of protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure.
My Sunday said the NSCDC was preparing for the next year’s election.
“If you notice some people in black uniform while you were coming to this office, they are our men. We are already training them for the election. We have a directive from above to do so. So we are preparing”.
Similarly, at the office of the Department of State Security, DSS, the Osun State Director, Mr Bankole Alade assured that the service would not rest on its oars to ensure the security of Nigerians before, during and after the election.
Adenitan Akinola
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