OSUN 2014: Group Alerts Security Agents, INEC On Purchase Of Voters’ Cards

The Ogbeni Aregbesola Door-to-Door Campaign Organisation (OD2D) has called on the police and other security agencies to, as a matter of necessity and urgency, take serious action on the reported cases of illegal mass possession of voters’ cards by some individuals.

OD2D urged the security agencies to act urgently on the illegal possession of the voters’ cards, which is now rampant in the state in the interest of free, fair and credible governorship election.

The OD2D also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate the matter and unravel where those involved are getting the cards from and what purpose they are amassing them for.

The OD2D expressed concern that there were reported cases of voters’ cards’ purchase, and surreptitious obtainance of voters’ cards from unsuspecting voters by some ‘unscrupulous’ politicians, who have consciously engaged in it for some time now.

According to the campaign organization, the illegal possession of the voters’ cards was not unconnected with the coming governorship election in the state.

The OD2D said it was pertinent to alert the INEC, as the umpire in the electoral contest, on the rate at which some individuals were been caught with many voters’ cards across the state.

It noted that some serious actions must be taken by the concerned securities authorities and the INEC, so as to give all stakeholders, a sense of safety for a free, fair and credible election, come August 9, 2014.

“The OD2D team quickly brings to the fore, the case of a woman by name Mrs Alice Gbadebo, who was caught with many voters’ cards at Ibokun in Obokun Local Government Council Area of the state on Thursday 5th day of June 2014 and was handed over to the police.

“However, it was surprising to hear that rather than arraigning the alleged electoral offender in the court, it was said that she was transferred to the police headquarters in Osogbo, where the Commissioner of Police allegedly seized the voters’ cards found on her, when she gave the excuse that she was holding them on behalf of her family,” the group alleged.

It added: “As much as OD2D would have appreciated the seeming humanistic position of the police boss on the matter, it pricks mind if it was not informed by interference by the Police Affairs Minister, Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan, has been suspected all the while.

“The OD2D suspicion, like many other concerned people of Osun, was fuelled further by the fact that many others caught in the past have not been handled the way an offender would be expected to be handled.

“For instance, two cases of voters’ cards purchase by a group of politicians in the name of Omoilu Foundation were reported to the police in Ikirun sometimes ago but were dismissed as mere speculations by the security agents and the culprits were allowed to go scot-free.”

The campaign organisation noted that experts have assumed that the buy-over and or acquiring of voters’ cards by unscrupulous politicians may not be unconnected with attempt to tamper with the voters’ register and have negative effect of the coming governorship election in the state.

“This is why the OD2D wishes to stress the need for security agencies and INEC to take more seriously, the cases involving the multiple cards holding by some politicians and obtaining-by-trick of voters cards from unsuspecting voters.

“A repeat of Anambra election situation should be avoided and all hands must be on deck to have a credible election on August 9, 2014 and subsequent ones,” the group submitted.