#Osun decides: Stop vote buying or risk vote of no confidence, SDP tells INEC

SDP

THE Social Democratic Party (SDP) has called on the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and all the nation’s Security Agencies to stop vote buying and ballot snatching during the coming Osun State governorship election or risk vote of no confidence from all the opposition parties to be led by the SDP.

In a press statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Alfa Mohammed, made available to newsmen in Abuja yesterday, the Party decried the growing trend of vote buying and ballot snatching mostly perpetrated by agents of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC)to the inaction of both the INEC and security agencies.

It pointed out that the INEC and security agencies which were supposed to maintain a neutral stand on electoral issues were rather sympathising with the government in power by aiding and abetting the criminal practices.

According to the statement, “The growing rate of open vote buying and ballot snatching is as a result of the inaction of both INEC and the security agents who have continued to look on while these vices are perpetrated in their open glare

“The non-prosecution of perpetrators of this criminal conduct often perpetrated by agents of the APC is an indication of sympathy and fear of the government in power by the organisations which are supposed to be neutral”.

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The Party warned the INEC and security agencies should be prepared to take responsibility for their inaction, should the masses in Osun who would not condone the vote buying and ballot snatching during the Saturday governorship elections by APC agents, decide to defend their right and guide their mandate to the candidate of their choice.

“Both the INEC and security agencies should be ready to take responsibility due to their inaction in preventing the planned mandate theft, should the people resort to self-help to protest injustice and attempt by the APC to impose inefficient and rejected candidate on them despite the prediction of credible foreign institutions that the party would lose in subsequent elections in Nigeria and that return of President Muhammadu Buhari will spell doom for the country. Osun people shine your eyes,” the statement reads in part.

S-Davies Wande