OSUN 2014: Eschew inciting statements, REC advises gov candidates

OSUN 2014: Eschew inciting statements, REC advises gov candidates

With less than 19 days to the conduct of August 9 governorship election in Osun State, the newly redeployed Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Olusegun Agbaje, on Monday,  advised governorship candidates and political leaders to avoid statements capable of inciting members of the public to violence during electioneering campaigns.

He underscored the need for all political leaders, regardless of party affiliations to tone down their languages and statements at campaign rallies, stressing that this would assist in reducing the growing tension among the people in the state.

Agbaje, who spoke during a chat with journalists in Osogbo ,asserted that “the utterances of our political leaders should be toned down during their campaigns. If that is done, there would not be need for anxiety and fear for the people. Statements of our political leaders during campaigns are capable of causing tension and fear”.

He continued, “that is what is making the security agencies to assess the situation security wise and then, provide solutions. But, this is not INEC’s responsibility. It is the duty of  security agencies”.

While tasking gladiators to play by the rules and avoid electoral malpractices, the REC also called on all and sundry to ensure the safety of all members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and other adhoc staff that would be engaged to work in polling units and centres

According to Agbaje, “NYSC members have taken this duty up as a national challenge and if they are doing this job in the interest of the nation ,it is our responsibility  to be committed to their safety and security”.

He described as untrue speculations that INEC was planning to use the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) members during the poll, saying that “there is nothing like OYES in our agenda”.

“The people we are using for our adhoc staff comprise mainly NYSC members because they formed the bulk of the people, who would work at polling booths during the election, then ,the rest are from federal tertiary institutions like Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife and  Federal Polytechnic, Ede , Osun State. The remaining are staff of federal establishments in the state.”