March 11 Guber poll: Group calls for peaceful election, says no to harassment, intimidation
By Ranmilowo Ojalumo
Ahead of the Saturday February 11, 2023 gubernatorial election in Lagos and across Yoruba land, the Yoruba Self Determination Coalition (YSDC) has called on the security agencies to go extra mile to discourage intimidation and harassment of electorates during the election, adding that the security operatives should protect voters in the states to enable them cast their votes.
The group made the call on Saturday at a press conference held in Lagos, calling on security agencies that will be on duty to be impartial and discharge their duties professionally as enshrined in the electoral law.
The group also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be fair to all and conduct free and transparent election that can stand the test of time.
The coalition however called on all political office seekers across the political divides to be law abiding and stop over heating the polity but rather seek redress through legal process in case of any discrepancy.
While addressing journalists at the conference, the group spokesperson, Comrade Alex Omotehinse said the coalition observed that there were harassment and intimidation of voters during the presidential and National Assembly election held on February 25, 2023, noting that such anomaly will affect the turnout of voters.
Every Nigerian must be allowed to participate”, Omotehinse said.
“Sequel to the increased tension in the country as Nigerians scramble and struggle to meet up with their daily activities in the face of the recent policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria on Naira redesign, fuel scarcity, kidnapping and banditry, we call on political gladiators in the states to stop heating up the polity and threatening our social existence as a sovereign nation”, the group spokesperson said.
While addressing the recently generated Yoruba and Igbo dichotomy in Lagos state, the group urged all Lagos residents to shun tribal sentiment scripted and put forward by political actors to gain sympathy of electorates which is already heating up the polity in the state. The group urged the constituted authority to address the matter, saying it may cause voters’ apathy and disenfranchise residents of the state if not addressed.
In his remark at the conference, a top member of the group who was also the first and founding secretary of Ooduwa people’s Congress, Evangelist Kunle Adesokan lamented that the politicians in the country are only ridden on the people, saying most of the politicians are hidden their children abroad but using other people children to foment trouble.
He said “there must be no crisis in Lagos and other Yoruba states during the coming gubernatorial and state assembly election. We are calling on the relevant authorities and the security agencies to ensure that the march 11, 2023 election in Lagos State and the entire Yoruba land is peaceful. It should not be a do or die affairs. It should not be turned to theatre of blood shielding”.
