The Social Democratic Party has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies deployed to Osun State for the governorship election to prevent vote-buying or face a mass protest from the electorate.
The SDP said on Monday that INEC and the security agencies should be ready to take responsibility if the people “resorted to self-help to protest injustice and attempts” by vote buyers to impose candidates on them.
The SDP National Publicity Secretary, Alfa Mohammed, in a release in Abuja, stated that the security organisations must curtail vote-buying and ballot snatching during the coming election or a vote of no confidence would be passed in them by the opposition parties, to be led by the SDP.
He said, “INEC and security agencies, which are supposed to maintain a neutral stand on electoral issues, are rather sympathising with the government in power by aiding and abetting some criminal practices.
“The growing rate of open vote-buying and ballot snatching is as a result of the inaction of the security agents who have continued to look on while these vices are perpetrated in their open glare. The non-prosecution of perpetrators of this criminal conduct is an indication of sympathy and fear of the government by organisations which are supposed to be neutral.”
Source: Punch NG