Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has urged residents to come out en masse and vote in the August 15 governorship election, assuring them that their votes will count.
Adeleke made the call in Osogbo, the state capital, on Monday after an interactive session with civil servants and pensioners at a programme tagged ‘A Day With Mr Governor’, organised by the Office of the Head of Service in collaboration with labour leaders and pensioners.
The governor, who said he was not under pressure ahead of the election, however, expressed doubts about the neutrality of the police during the poll.
Adeleke said members of the National Peace Committee had been briefed about the security situation in the state during the signing of the Peace Accord by the governorship candidates and had promised to engage the leadership of the security agencies.
He said, “I am not under pressure because I have God on my side and on the side of the people of Osun. We are very prepared, and I want you to tell them that they should not be afraid. This is democracy, and Nigeria has decided to practice democracy. They should not be afraid even against all the intimidation of the APC.
“I am telling them that democracy and the will of God will prevail. They should come out on August 15 en masse and should not be afraid to vote and let them go and perform their civic duty, and their votes will count.
“After signing the peace accord, the peace committee has promised me that they are talking to them. The police, I don’t trust them right now, but the peace committee are talking to them, and they promised to work on it. I pray by the special grace of God, God will touch their heart.”
Speaking at the event, the Osun State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Christopher Arapasopo, commended the Adeleke administration for what he described as various initiatives aimed at improving workers’ welfare.
Arapasopo, speaking in Yoruba, warned against returning to what he described as the “dark days” under the All Progressives Congress administration.
He said, “We must not go back to dark days under the APC government. Enough of intimidation and harassment. Tell them that we cannot be intimidated. God gave them opportunities to be governor of Osun State.
“Before now, some of our pensioners were receiving N300, N1,500 and N3,000 as pension allowance. The story is now different as pensioners are now getting N25,000, N10,000 and better allowances.
“Workers of Osun State, it is time for election. All those causing problems for Governor Ademola Adeleke will evaporate like a fart.
“We don’t have anybody, but we have Almighty God. We are the anointed, and let us tell God in prayer so that Adeleke’s enemies will meet their Waterloo.”
The Osun governorship election is scheduled to hold on Saturday, August 15, with 14 candidates expected to contest the poll.
Adeleke, the incumbent governor, is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party.
