From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), has warned that vote-buying would be worse in the Osun State governorship election, slated Saturday July 16th.
It also expressed worry over the attack on the home of the governorship candidate of Labour Party, Yusuf Lasun, and the inexplicable fire outbreak at the home of the Accord Party candidate, Akin Ogunbiyi as well as in Ijebu-ljesha and Eti-oni in Ori-Ade and Atakumosa Local Government Areas.
According to the observer group, the rising cases of cultism and street gangs in the State could be appropriated for electoral violence.
A Member of CDD’s Election Analysis Centre (EAC), Professor Victor Isumonah, while presenting the pre-election findings yesterday in Abuja, stated that with the current security realities, the Osun State governorship election would require an efficient deployment of security personnel.
Professor Isumonah said the warning stemmed from the outcome of the 2018 Osun State poll in which three men were arrested for vote-buying by police officers and the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) recorded “instances of PDP agents partaking in such activities.”
He admonished political parties and their candidates to adhere to the peace accord.
He implored the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies, to work closely to ensure a smooth exercise.
He said: “Despite the 2022 Electoral Act, the spate of vote-buying has not reduced.
“This was evident in the Ekiti governorship election and likely to be worse in the Osun State Governorship election.”
He assured voters that CDD would deploy resources to track any instance of fake news so that prompt verification could be carried out as necessary.
He expressed optimism that the “recent signing of the peace accords by the governorship candidates will ensure that their supporters refrain from violent activities regardless of the result of the polls.”