Osun LG Election: Heavy Security As OSSIEC Insists On Saturday Poll

Many security personnel are presently occupying the premises of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) in Osogbo ahead of the Local Government Elections.

The security operatives include men of the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Amotekun Corps, and local vigilantes.

This is as the state’s electoral commission insisted that the local government election set for this Saturday will proceed as planned despite the prevalence of violence and fatalities within the state.

OSSIEC indicated that these security forces were assigned to ensure the safety of staff, facilities, and election materials.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Chairman of OSSIEC, Hassim Abioye, announced that all election materials are prepared and that all necessary arrangements have been finalized.

He further indicated that the ballot papers are equipped with barcodes to guarantee that those designated for a particular local government are not utilized in other areas.

“As I’m talking to you now, all 18 registered political parties are participating. We have not received any notice of withdrawal from any party.

“We have not received any communication to that effect, and that will not, in any way, hamper the election process,” Abioye noted.

OSSIEC Premises Not Sealed By Military Personnel

In a separate statement, the OSSIEC Information Officer, Sadiat Isiaka, dismissed speculations that the commission’s premises had been sealed by military personnel.

Naija News reports that Isiaka was responding to the report circulating on social media that soldiers had taken over the OSSIEC office in Osogbo.

Many security personnel were present at the OSSIEC office in Osogbo yesterday, comprising a collaborative team from the police, DSS, NSCDC, NDLEA, Amotekun Corps, and local vigilantes.

The commission indicated that these security forces were assigned to ensure the safety of staff, facilities, and election materials.

“OSSIEC wishes to alert members of the public to the fake news in circulation that the premises of the commission have been sealed off by the Nigerian Army.

“The general public, especially the electorate,e are hereby enjoined to disregard the fake news as the premises of the commission is well secure and safe, as evident in the heavy presence of inter-agency security personnel comprising the combined team of the police, DSS, NSCDC, NDLEA, Amotekun Corps, the Vigilante etc.

“Our commendations to the security agencies for providing adequate security for the staff, facilities and election materials at OSSIEC.

“We wish to add that the fake news was propaganda concocted by some miscreants to misinform and create panic among the electorate and therefore ,should not be taken seriously.

“We hereby assure the good people of Osun State that the election will hold as scheduled, as such, no pseudo information should inhibit the people from participating in the democratic process,” Isiaka said in the statement issued in Osogbo on Tuesday.