Osun Election Tribunal:
HEDA Tasks INEC On Credible Polls, Ask Police, EFCC To Prosecute Corrupt Electoral Officials

Following the Osun Governorship Election Tribunal judgement, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has charged the Independent National Electoral Election (INEC) to be circumspect and thorough with regards to all aspects of its responsibilities in view of their ultra-sensitivity.

HEDA specifically wants INEC to pay more attention to assorted preparation, recruitment of personnel, assigning of responsibilities, monitoring and evaluation of performances of personnel and declaration of results of the forthcoming elections.

The Osun Gubernatorial Election Tribunal, on Friday in Osogbo, annulled the result declared by the INEC which gave victory in the election to Mr. Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The tribunal held that the governorship election was characterised by over-voting. It said after deducting the excessive votes, the figure Mr Ademola Adeleke polled came down to 290,666: lower than the 314,921 polled by the immediate past Governor Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued by its Chairman, Olarenwaju Suraju, the civil group expressed deep concern with the electoral malpractice pepertuated and conceded by the two major political parties at the polls.

He therefore called on Nigeria Police Force and Economic Financial Crime Commission to investigate the polling officers and INEC officials responsible for the inflated votes at the affected polling units for prosecution.

He said, “Osun gubernatorial election, assumed by many to be above board, considering the heavy investment of resources by the country in the BVAS, was marred by irregularities and this was hidden from the prying eyes of observers in their preliminary observation reports during the polls in Osogbo. We strongly condemned the electoral malpractice and all those associated with the act of sabotage against the country and it’s people.”

Suraju further challenged INEC to ensure internal mechanisms to discontinue electoral malpractices, adding that election irregularities are unacceptable and must be condemned for qualitative representation and good governance in the interest of all.