A coalition of independent assessors of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) electoral process on Sunday congratulated OSSIEC leadership for the peaceful conduct of Saturday’s local government election.
The team led by a Professor of Mathematics and Director of Quality Assurance, Osun State University, Professor Amos Popoola described the conduct as free and fair but, condemned the alleged security operatives’ brutality on the arrested adhoc staff of the commission before the election day.
The Coalition of Accessors argued that the outcome and results of the elections showed that, the level of preparedness of the Commission for the elections was democratic, as the exercise was transparent and free of molestations of the electorate before, during and after the exercise.
It however commended the OSSIEC Chairman, Hon. Hassim Abioye for being democratical during and after the electioneering period and charged the commission to take a necessary step to secure the freedom of its staff said, to be in the custody of the security agencies.
“The peaceful conduct of the elections is an indication that the leadership of the commission understand the doctrinal principles of democracy which, it upheld and utilized to add more values to democracy during the elections.
The coalition team which also commended the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke for his steadfastness and doggedness before, during and after the elections, described him as a man of courage whose valiantly at the end of the day, made him to be a heroic democrat in the circle of the progressives and those who understands the ” ABC” of politics and politicking “.
While describing him as a man of peace who decries crisis, he commended his rare wisdom of instructing the newly sworn-in democratically elected local council chairmen in the state, to stay away from the local government secretariats to avert bloodshed.
The group thereafter prayed to God to endow him with more wisdom to overcome all seen and unseen cloudy challenges ahead of him and give him leadership enablement to steer the ship of the state to the promise land.
It will be recalled that the group had earlier, said, unlike the 2007 and 2022 local government elections in the state, the current OSSIEC was well prepared for the conduct of the February 22 polls, having followed due process but, recommended that there should be the institutionalization of post-election audit
and evaluation.
It was however re-emphasized that, there should be institutionalization of post-election audit and evaluation and recommended that, verification exercise should be carried out from time to time for Quality Assurance purposes”.
Other members of the team are; Prof. Elijah Agbaje, Prof. Taiwo Ojurongbe, Dr. Olufunmiso Ajala, Dr. Folasade Adeyemi, Dr. Michael Ilesanmi and Dr. Olufemi Akinrinade.
READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then