As the Ekiti and Osun state gubernatorial elections draw near, Nigeria’s foremost advocate of good governance, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), has applauded the United States Embassy for indicating interest in the aforementioned gubernatorial elections in the two states holding this year.

The Political and Economic Chief of the U.S Embassy in Nigeria, Brandon Hudspeth, recently led a delegation to Osun State governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, in his office in Osogbo, where he (Hudspeth) affirmed that he was hoping to see a credible polls with a pledge to work with the state governments to ensure free, fair and creditable outcome from the exercise.

Hudspeth further said the team would visit security officials, civil societies and other stakeholders before the poll to ensure every critical stakeholder were on the same page, following the processes leading to the elections.

“The reason why we are here is because of the forthcoming election in Osun State in 2022. We hope that the election will be free and credible because there are expectations within and outside this country over the forthcoming elections in these States. Our expectation is that the elections should be fair and credible. We are partners with Nigeria to ensure free and credible elections.

“We are meeting with you as the first citizen of the state and our officials will also meet security officials, civil societies and other stakeholders. We will be in the state for the next couple of months. We are ready to work with you for a free and credible election in 2022 in this state,” Hudspeth said.

While commending the U.S Embassy delegation, the Chairman of HEDA, Olanrewaju Suraju, urged other foreign governments through their embassies in Nigeria to follow suit by deploying every necessary resources and mechanism that would guarantee peaceful and credible polls in both Ekiti and Osun states.

“We appreciate the U.S Embassy’s interest in the Ekiti and Osun states gubernatorial and, by extension, elections in different states of the Federation. We encourage other foreign embassies to emulate the U.S embassy in this regard. All we need is all hands to be on deck to see those elections free from bloodshed, assault and other forms of abuses,” Suraju said in a statement.

He further implored the US government to note those behind political offences during the elections for appropriate visa ban and other punitive measures permissible within the US legal and diplomatic system.

Suraju challenged political stakeholders across board to play by the rules and respect the laws guiding the electoral process, saying elections would come and go, but the memories people create remain. “Thus, it’s ideal for everyone, no matter the interest involved, to respect the sanctity of life and the sacrosanctity of the supreme laws of electioneering,” he added.

“Everyone, irrespective of diverse interest must, as a matter of duty, play by the rules. We must not bend the law to please anyone. For the electorate, they must stand tall and oppose anyone who wants to buy over their conscience.

“The past mistakes that ushered in incompetent leaders across board today is enough lesson to trigger eligible voters to make wiser choices and decisions. It’s high time people went for the ultimate (good governance that engenders socio-economic and political growth, development and sustenance) and do away with the mundane immediate gratifications which politicians and their agents dangle before citizens during elections,” he said.

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