TENSION AS OSUN ELECTS GOVERNOR • Soldiers block access routes to state • Claim and counter-claim on arrest of INEC staff By Gbenga Faturoti - Correspondent, Osogbo. There is tension in Osun State as governorship election holds in the state today. Already, soldiers and other security operatives have blocked all routes leading to the state. A statement signed by the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mrs. Folasade Odoro (DSP), said that all routes entering the state have been blocked until the end of the election. On Thursday, 7 August 2014, all routes were partially blocked while soldiers and other security operatives were seen searching all vehicles coming in and going out of the state. The statement said Friday that there is no more movement of vehicle into and out of the state except those on official assignment for the purpose of election. Investigation revealed that sensitive electoral materials were being distributed to their various locations for the election. The materials were being distributed in security vehicles including FRSC, Civil Defence Corps, Immigration, Customs, Police Patrol Vans and others. In what appears to heighten the apprehension among politicians in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday secured court injunction from Osun State High Court sitting in Ile-Ife, restraining the police, Department of State Security Service (DSS) and other security apparatus from arresting and witch-hunting its leaders in the state during the election. Justice A. Abdulkareem while granting the application of the leadership of the APC in suit number HIF/M.32/2014 against the Inspector General of Police, Assistant Inspector General zone XI, Director General of DSS, the Commissioner of Police Osun State Command and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, affirmed that there is urgent need to grant the prayer of the applicants, having carefully examined the evidence attached to the application. The judge disclosed that any delay in granting the said application would amount to injustice or defeat of justice. The respondents, according to the ruling, are restricted from arresting, threatening or intimidating Senator Isiaka Adeleke, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, Mr. Gbenga Adebusuyi, Barrister Wale Afolabi, Mr. Sunday Akere, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro and Senator Bayo Salami. Others include federal lawmakers from the state among whom are Senator Babajide Omoworare, Senator (Professor) Olusola Adeyeye, Senator Mudasiru Hussein, Hons. Rotimi Makinde, Adetunji Ajagbe, Lasun Yusuf, Kayode Salami, Barrister Waliu Salimoni, Dr. Joel Olasunkanmi Anwo, Senator Felix Ogunwale and others. The listed persons sued the respondents on behalf of themselves and other leaders of the party in the state and sought the order of the court restraining the respondent or its representatives or agents from inviting or threatening them pending the conduct of Saturday (today) gubernatorial poll in the state. However, Saturday Independent gathered that two Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials in Obokun Local Government Area were around 3a.m on Friday were arrested for alledgedly diverting sensitive election materials. One of the suspects, the Electoral Officer for the LGA, confessed to the act but refused to name those who sent him as he pleaded for mercy. However, he did not deny when confronted that he was sighted inside vehicles belong to a PDP stalwart in the town. His phone call log also showed clearly that he had constant voice and SMS communication with the PDP chieftain. The vigilant people of Otan-Ile would have lynched the suspects but for the timely intervention of police officers. The INEC vehicle with registration number FG816V01 used in transporting the materials and the suspects are presently held at the State CID of the Police Command in Oshogbo. A statement signed by Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Kayode Idowu, however, denied the arrested of the commission’s workers, saying there was no iota of truth in it. According to the statement, “There is no truth in the report that the Electoral Officer (EO) of Obokun Local Government Area (LGA) in Osun State and another official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the LGA were caught diverting sensitive materials, investigation by the commission has shown. “This statement is to clear the air over the widely circulating report, especially on online sites, which suggested that the integrity of the process leading up to the Osun State Governorship Election on August 9, 2014, has been compromised. Investigation shows that no sensitive materials were diverted, neither was any official of INEC caught in cohort with political partisans. The full explanation of what happened is as follows: “For avoidance of doubt, sensitive materials were not involved in the incident. Actually, sensitive materials from the state INEC Headquarters arrived at the LGA long after the non-sensitive materials had been distributed. “Also, there is absolutely no truth in the claim that the EO or any other staff of INEC was found in a vehicle other than the commission’s vehicle distributing materials. That may explain why the only vehicle shown in the various social DAILY INDEPENDENT
Posted on: Sat, 09 Aug 2014 03:57:43 +0000
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