#OsunDecides2018: INEC perfects arrangements as political parties intensify campaigns

BARELY a week to the conduct of the September 22 governorship poll in Osun State, authorities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have perfected strategies to deliver a credible exercise, just as the governorship candidates of major political parties doubled up their electioneering campaigns amidst anxiety on the parts of the electorate over who would eventually emerge the winner of the contest.

Findings by Saturday Tribune indicated that despite the preparedness of the security agencies to ensure effective security before, during and after the exercise, mild threats to peace and pockets of violence in some parts of Osogbo during the week may compel the Police, Department of State Security (DSS), and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other relevant stakeholders to re-appraise their plans for a secured poll.

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The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 11, comprising Oyo, Osun and Ondo Police commands, Mr Danjuma Ibrahim had on Wednesday hinted that the Police would deploy no fewer than 40,000 operatives for the poll, thus indicating 10, 000 difference from the figure of policemen that provided security for Ekiti governorship election.

While the leadership of various political parties, namely the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Action Democratic Party (ADP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alliance for Democracy (AD), All Grassroots Alliance (AGA), Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Labour Party (LP), Accord Party, among others were also exploring consultations to woo opinion leaders, religious bodies, pressure groups and organised labour unions for votes.

Though, it is still uncertain if alliance, merger, re-alignment and horse trading may come into play before the d-day, our correspondent reliably gathered that as of the time of filing this reports, each of the dominant political parties still hold the position of pushing through to victory during the election.

As usual, sizable crowd of party faithful, loyalists, admirers and other categories of people thronged venues of campaign rallies, the ability of individual flag bearer to translate the figures of such multitude to votes next Saturday would be a pointer to who wins the governorship poll

Speaking on the preparedness of INEC for the exercise, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the umpire in Osun, Mr Olusegun Agbaje during an interview with our correspondent said the electoral body had concluded arrangements to conduct a credible and conclusive election.