Kazeem Badmus
THE State of Osun Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs Ngozi Shokpeka, has appealed to security agencies, as well as politicians, to protect corps members that would be participating in the July 16, gubernatorial election in the state.
Shokpeka made the appeal on Tuesday at a Stakeholders’ Summit organised by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun Command.
The summit, held at the command headquarters, Ilesa road, Osogbo, was organised by the Peace and Conflict Management Unit, with the theme: “Violence Free Election in Osun State; Our Collective Responsibilities.”
According to a press statement issued at the end of the summit by the NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Olabisi Atanda, the NYSC Coordinator said protection of corps members is paramount to the management of the scheme.
The statement quoted Shokpeka as saying: “The protection of corps members is very paramount to the management of NYSC and I want to appeal to the security agencies, as well as our politicians, to protect our members during the election”.
Earlier in his address, the Assistant Commandant General, Zone J, Adeyinka Fasiu, said credible and fair election is possible in the state, if all political gladiators could play by the rules.
Adeyinka, while explaining the importance of violence free elections and the preparedness of the corps, emphasized the need for all stakeholders in the electoral process to collectively play their parts in achieving the same goal of a credible gubernatorial election and safeguarding the communities before, during and after the polls.
He also appealed to the youths to shun thuggery and not to allow themselves to be used as agents of destruction during the election.
In his remarks, the State Coordinator, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr Abiodun Oluropo, said for the election to be violence free, all political gladiators as well as the general public must play politics according to the electoral laws and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Oluropo said political parties must also educate their followers to shun inflammatory utterances during the campaign, just as he urged the security agents to uphold the tenets of their duties and exhibit professionalism during the polls.
He stated that NOA as an agent saddled with sensitising and orientating the citizenry on their civic responsibilities had doubled its efforts in discharging its mandate towards free and credible elections.
Oluropo appealed to the citizenry to rise on their feet to reject any form of inducement from politicians during the election.
He also appealed to political stakeholders to shun rigging, fake news, cheating, inducement, double standard, vote buying, among others, in order not to trigger election violence.
