Chief Segun Oni, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate for Saturday’s election in Ekiti State, has raised the alarm on the arrest of some of his party supporters ahead of the election.

Oni who hinted that some politicians have begun to break the peace accord signed
before the Gen Abdusalami Abubakar-led National Peace Commission, noted that those he described as “oppressors”, had allegedly been dehumanising and demobilising his supporters through unlawful arrests, instead of embracing the tenets of democracy in the conduct of the June 18 contest.

Oni posited that for the election to be peaceful and hitch-free, that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Adeniran Tella and other security formations must be neutral and ensure justice, fairness and equity.

Oni, who addressed newsmen in Ado Ekiti, on Friday, alerted the INEC, international community, security agencies, observers and other stakeholders on the expediency for stringent adherence to democratic ethos in the conduct of the election.

“For this election to be acceptable, the REC must stamp and sign all forms EC8A , EC8B, EC8C and EC8D and not by any other agent or staff. Once the REC stamps and signs, nobody will be able to smuggle any form of fake results.

“Results at polling units must be uploaded at polling units by polling officers in the presence of party agents. INEC must provide alternative network providers to make up for network failure.

“Nobody should be allowed to tamper with the results. Election is the backbone of democratic practice. If you forgot to relate with the people in the last four years after your election, then you are bound to be rejected. No one should be allowed to win election by subterfuge,” he said.

On the imperative of peace for the election to be successful, Oni said: “I will keep to the peace accord. But peace can only be absolutely protected when you are standing on justice, equity, truth and fair-play.

“But when you are kidnapping people, it renders every peace document invalid. Let us tell them not to set this state on fire. Those who had been going round to kidnap my supporters should be called to order now. They are testing the patience and tolerance of the people.

“One of my supporters was arrested and detained for alleged kidnapping three days back using a section of the police. They shouldn’t set this state on fire. If anybody commits offence and they think they are the authorities to go round and be arresting people at night, then the peace accord becomes shattered immediately.

“I didn’t steal as a governor and that was why I am being supported by Ekiti people and I should be a good example to all our politicians that we should learn how to be contented,” Oni said. (Daily Sun)

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