With less than 24 hours to the commencement of accreditation and voting simultaneously at polling stations across the 31 local government council areas of Osun State in the 2018 gubernatorial election, the Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) has called on the people of the state to shun Vote buying but to Vote according to their conscience and deny all forms of violence.
In a press statement issued yesterday and signed by its executive chairman,Mr Nelson Ekujumi, urged the people to remain steadfastness hereby and play by the rules of the game.
it’s voice to the clarion call on the stakeholders, to play by the rules of the game in order to ensure a free, fair and credible exercise in which the outcome will be a reflecting of d peoples will.
The body also commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for displaying what it describes as “professionalism and non partisanship in its activities which has gone a long way to engender public confidence and trust in the organization despite the blackmail attempts from expected anti democratic elements to malign the body.”
Said he,”We call on INEC to once again, rise up to the occasion like we have witnessed in recent conduct of free, fair and credible elections, by posting an A+ performance in the Saturday 22nd September, 2018 Osun State gubernatorial election.”
The CPM also commend the security agencies for their professionalism and tact in the unnoticed deployment of security apparatus in a manner which it stated is a radical departure from what obtained in 2014 “when security agents and unknown persons in hoods swarmed the streets of the state of Osun in an intimidating and gangster like manner with high sound blaring siren and indiscriminate and reckless shooting of gunshots into the air without provocation, just to scare and instill fear in the minds of the Osun State, but to the glory of God, the people stoutly resisted the army of occupation and the rest like they say, is history never to be forgotten.”
“we equally call on the local and international observers to exhibit a high sense of neutrality and professional which has been their hallmark in our democratic process since 1999 till date.”
Mr Ekujumi also call on the media to realize the enormous responsibility placed on their shoulders, by a professional and unbiased reportage and coverage of the election.
“We also call on the political parties and the candidates to be focused on the greater good of the state of Osun by refusing to engage in acts that will undermine our democracy and the peace and tranquility of Osun State. Political party(s) and candidate(s) who is/are aggrieved with the process and outcome of the election, is/are enjoined to adopt the civilized means of seeking redress rather than resort to public disorder which is undemocratic and condemnable.”
On the part of political parties and its agents,it challenged them, ” to conduct themselves in a responsible and civilized manner by not jeopardizing the peace and smooth conduct of the election through over-zealousness and desperation of do or die political mentality.”
“Finally and most importantly, we call on the electorate, to troop out enmasse to the polling stations armed with only their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) in a orderly and responsible manner to accredit and cast their votes for the candidate of their choice based on integrity and character by jettisoning inducements and primordial sentiments.”
On vote buying which has assumed a new dimension in the nations body polity,it described it as ,” a sad and ugly menace of which threatens our democracy and demeans us as a people,”, adding” we urge and appeal to the Osun electorate to shun all forms of vote buying and selling by cooperating with INEC in the exercise of their franchise, by not taking photographs of thumb printed ballot papers which is now a criminal offence.”.
“It is our fervent expectation that all the aforementioned stakeholders realize that the credibility and fairness of an election, is not the responsibility of one or some, but all, in the larger and good interest of our democracy and society.” He concluded
