Osun 2018: Police Read Riot Act To Political Parties, As NOA Organises Stakeholders Meeting

By Ayobami Agboola, Osogbo

Police in Osun have read the riot act to politicians as gubernatorial election scheduled to hold on September 22 draw nearer.

Cross Section of Policemen during the flag off of Operation Harmony in Kafanchan , Kaduna State. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

The warning was issued at a stakeholders meeting organized by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with a German Foundation, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung

At the stakeholders meeting which was well attended by the representatives of each political parties, traditional rulers, human right organisations, religious leaders among other personalities, the state Commissioner of police, Mr Fimihan Adeoye urged the parties to conduct themselves within the electoral act or face wrath of the law.

Represented by the Deputy Commissioner in charge of operation, DC Muhammed Abu, Adeoye said the command would not condone any act of indiscipline

He also warned the youth not to allow themselves to be use as political thugs, saying anybody caught would be prosecuted.

Adeoye said: ‘I want to sound a notice of warning to all these political thugs to vacate the state immediately as the command would not condone any act of indiscipline and allow anybody to truncate the peaceful atmosphere in the state.

“Osun Police command has zero tolerance for violence. We do not know any political party and anybody caught fomenting trouble would be decisively dealt with.”

Speaking, the NOA Director General, Dr Garba Abari urged the political parties that are taking part in the coming governorship election to shun violence.

Abari said the meeting was convened to create awareness on the need for good political culture and credible election.

According to him, the Agency is mandated to sensitise, orientate and mobilse the populace on government programmes and policies.

“As an agency we would want to have a Nigeria, where our political parties will stand for developmental models, where elections will be devoid of voilence ”

“We are concerned at the level of vote buying that occur during elections. We are not happy that significant apathy still exist in the polity . we are also marvelled at the low level of women participation in the process.”

Echoing a similar view, Mrs Yomi Olasinde, the Osun state Director Of National Orientation Agency said the agency was determined to orientate the public especially youth on the need to always desist from activities capable of causing crisis in the state before, during and after election.

Mrs Olasinde noted that the politicians should not see election as do or die affairs, just as she urged them to desist from the habit of seducing electorate with money at the polling booths.

She however called on security agencies to ensure the safety of election observers, voters and other stakeholders who have constitutional roles to play at the polls.