Okupe challenges INEC, DSS on fair treatment of other political parties

THE south west leader of the Accord Party, Dr Doyin Okupe, has charged the nations electoral body the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) – and security agencies, including the Department of State Security Service (DSS) to be fair and just in the way they treat members of other political parties.

Okupe who once served as the senior special assistant to former president Goodluck Jonathan on public affairs, pointed out that it was “disheartening” for the nation’s electoral body, the DSS and the police to continue to act as “accomplices,” in the way the country has continued to protect and project its electoral values, including the conduct of elections.

“It is a disgrace that 57 years after independence, Nigeria cannot still conduct a free and fair election. This is a disgrace. It is even more disheartening that the electoral body, the DSS and the police are all accomplices in this character. But I know a time will come when Nigerians can freely go to their polling booths and elect leaders of their choice,” said Okupe.

Okupe, who recently defected to the Accord Party from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made this remarks when he recently held a meeting with candidates of the party who took part in the last local government elections in Lagos State.

He used the occasion of the meeting to charge the candidates on the need for all of them to come together and work harder to ensure the party records huge success in the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

“Through our actions, the electorate must see us, Accord Party members, as the true alternative to both the APC and the PDP, therefore, we must work hard to ensure that our party emerges victorious in 2019,” he said.

In his own contribution, the national vice-chairman, south west, of the party, Prince Kayofe Ojo, advised the candidates to adhere to the instructions given by the party leader in the south west zone, so that the party could become fully acceptable not only in Lagos state but the entire south west zone.