By Nofisat Marindoti
Governor Rauf Aregbesola has admonished members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to eschew all forms of gratifications and inducement when employed as ad-hoc staff during the upcoming governorship elections in the state.
Aregbesola gave the admonition while declaring open the 2017 Batch Stream II, NYSC orientation programme for the State of Osun, at the NYSC permanent orientation camp in Ede.
Aregbesola who was represented by the state Commissioner of Empowerment and Youth Engagement, Mrs Folake Adegboyega, said the state was moving into a crucial period as elections were around the corner.
He said the corps members would be playing vital role in determining the substance of democracy, as the collaboration between INEC and NYSC would see them participate as ad-hoc staff during elections.
“I want to admonish you to eschew all forms of gratifications and inducement capable of marring the
effectiveness and credibility of the collaboration between NYSC and INEC.
“Since 2011, patriots like you have joined INEC in ensuring the conduct of free, fair and credible elections in the country.
“I want you to re-calibrate your minds to live up to the good name built by your predecessors who have participated in similar processes in the past.”
Osun State Coordinator of NYSC,Mr Emmanuel Attah, in his welcome address, advised the corps members to build and maintain quality friendships during the orientation and after.
Attah equally urged the corps members to ensure that they abide by every laid down rules and regulation of the NYSC Bye-laws and Act.
He said a total of 2059 corps members deployed to the state were undergoing orientation in the NYSC camp and that the figure includes corps member dislodged from Ekiti and Ondo States.
He said a total of 1156 males and 903 females, duly registered, would be sworn-in as bonafide corps members of Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states, adding that Osun would however be playing host to Ekiti and Ondo states corps members.
The Chief Judge of Osun, Justice Adepele Ojo later administered the national pledge and oath of allegiance on the prospective corps members making them bonafide members of NYSC 2017 Batch B, stream II.