Aregbesola Urges Voters To Monitor Election With Cameras

Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, on Thursday, urged the electorate in the state to vote and stay back to defend their votes by recording the proceeding with their camera phones.
The governor, who spoke in Osogbo at the rally organised by civil society groups to commemorate the June 12 anniversary, said the electorate should not allow the August 9 governorship election in the state to be manipulated.
The governor, who said that voting in the polls was not enough, stressed that voters should stay back at the polling booths in defence of their votes by recording on their phones the voting, counting and announcement processes.
Aregbesola urged the people of the state to go and collect permanent voter’s cards to enable them participate in the election.
He said, “We must vote. Vote is our constitutional right. We must also defend our votes. Nothing must stop us from doing that. We must not be intimidated to defend our votes. Yoruba people defended the sanctity of June 12; and that is why we are gathered here today.
“If not for the electorate, especially the Yorubas that fought in defence of their votes on June 12, 1993, we will not have the civil rule we are enjoying now. It is very important to vote and defend that vote with all legal means.
“The Yorubas had no guns, no weapons, yet they fought for June 12. We must also ensure that our votes are secured in this coming election.
“Your vote is your right. You must vote wisely. We must before the election register as voters and certify that our names are on the voters list of the Independent National Electoral Commission. Do not allow anybody to take your voter cards from you. That is your license to choose who governs you.
“We voted in 2011 and it was peaceful and we won. We should expect the same thing in 2014. The voice of the people must be heard. Our votes must count and democracy must continue to grow in Nigeria. That is the doctrine of June 12.”
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Civil and Popular Affairs, Waheed Lawal, in an interview with journalists, urged President Goodluck Jonathan to name UNIABUJA after the winner of the June 12 presidential election, the late Chief MKO Abiola.
He said, “Over 140m Nigerians trooped out on June 12, 1993 to cast their votes for Abiola. So, what the Federal Government is trying to do is to sectionalise June 12 when President Jonathan made an attempt to name UNILAG after Abiola. But we are saying that Abiola won election in Nigeria and not South-West alone, he won in the North and the East, he won everywhere.”
PUNCH